Believe The Unexpected
by Crazychicke
Summary: Caroline's life changes when she finds out she's pregnant with Tyler's child, but with Klaus in MF and Tyler sired to him, Caroline's unsure of how to tell him. When a secret in the Originals' Family is revealed, it puts the baby in peril and Klaus & Caroline form an unlikely alliance. Inspired by a rumour on TVFanatic dot com. Ships: Klaroline/Forwood/Delena/Stebekah. Lemony.
1. Believe The Unexpected

****Disclaimer: I do not own or intend to own The Vampire Diaries. The writers are too awesome and too talented frankly and my stories are nowhere as clever (at least, you can decide this). ******A/N: This idea came to me when reading spoilers about the so called Hybrid baby which was rumoured on TV Fanatic. Updated: 19/11/13.**

**Believe the Unexpected**

**1**

Caroline couldn't believe it, she was a vampire and vampires don't get pregnant. This wasn't bloody twilight, this was real, and yet, when she placed her hand on her stomach, there she could feel it, the tiny kick of a baby. It grew at an unbelievable rate, and the father? The hybrid, Tyler Lockwood.

Caroline stared into the mirror at her features. At eighteen, she wasn't ready to be a mother! She hadn't mentioned anything to her mother, the sheriff. It had been three months and nobody had questioned her constant baggy jumpers or unusual craving for Tim Tams and watermelon. Elena had enough drama in her life after Stefan's compulsion by Klaus forced him return to his ripper days of the 1920s. And of course there was her aunt Jenna's sacrifice and Jeremy's resurrection where he now could see his dead ex-girlfriends - this is obviously occupying Bonnie's thoughts too.

Caroline didn't wish to top all of it with her news. And it wasn't like she could confide in just anyone these days, but mostly she just missed her friend, Stefan. He helped her handle her blood addiction, and she missed the honesty she used to share with her girlfriends, though the subjects had changed radically from the mere squabbles of a teenager and a mother not having the time to talk, now she had epic problems like having a supernatural baby and not knowing what the hell to expect.

Somehow she didn't think Matt would want to help knowing that his best friend had impregnated his ex. So here she stood, in her bedroom staring at herself and wondering whether it would just be easier to stake herself and save all the unwanted misery. Of course who was she kidding? Even if she was dead, she was still Caroline and she couldn't do that to herself or her unborn child.

"Purple or Blue?" she murmured, holding two different jumpers under her chin. She did this often, titling her head as if that helped her to decide. "Blue it is," she said.

She picked up her books for school: another day, and another attempt to tell Tyler they were pregnant. He had been different since his forced transformation when Klaus decided to create clones of himself. She didn't know if this was because he was drinking blood from Klaus' sister Rebekah or because having two supernatural beings tied to him influenced his adrenaline rush. The one thing, that infuriated her most was that Tyler didn't seem to care. He just bounced around school thinking he was invincible and though she had nothing to complain about from their sex life, lately due to obvious reasons, she had been avoiding him.

After everything Klaus and Rebekah had done to them, after turmoil and fear and anger - Tyler had ignored her warnings and followed Rebekah's advice. Damon said it was because he was sired. He was Klaus' first hybrid and he felt compelled to obey all his wishes, no matter who his actions hurt.

She made it to school in one piece. Hell, she made it to class in one piece. She got a few smiles from people she knew in clubs and societies and sat down in Alaric's history class. She thought back to the days when she used to pass notes with Elena and Bonnie with the names of her crushes on them. She remembered waiting for Elena after cheerleading practice and going out with Matt when she was still human, and even the sleepovers at Bonnie's when all Bonnie could complain about was her Dad's stories of her weird gran, Sheila. Life had been normal once.

As Caroline smiled at Elena she felt a sharp pain shoot from her stomach and gasped, gripping the end of the desk. Throwing her head forward, she hides her fangs beneath her blond hair. Elena was by her side in minutes and Alaric yelled for everyone to return to work, lifting her into his arms. She heard their whispers in her head, but the agonising ache in her stomach had stolen most of her attention. Elena shoved open the door into the corridor and then into the girls' bathroom.

"What was that?" Alaric demanded after Elena threw her finger to her mouth and checked the cubicles. "Oh yeah."

Caroline felt shaky. She lowered her hand to check her reflection. The veins in her eyes had returned to normal, her fangs were gone and the baby was still.

"Are you ok?" Alaric asked. Elena bolted the door so they couldn't be interrupted. She considered lying, but she was sick of keeping secrets. She held Elena's worried gaze, tears fell down her cheeks.

"I'm pregnant." Caroline's lips trembled. "I don't know how."

Elena wrapped her arms around her, as Caroline cried into her shoulder. Alaric had uttered complete surprise. "Who's the father?" Caroline said he already knew that answer. "Tyler?" She nodded, leaning against the basin for support, and feeling a sudden bout of sickness subside. Elena brushed her hair out of her face.

"I'm fine," she lied.

"Don't be silly, no you're not. I'm taking you home, besides I want to know everything."

Caroline noticed her ruined mascara in the mirror and wiped her face on the back of her hand.

**Beep. Beep.** "It's Bonnie," Elena said. "She's just texting to see if everything's ok. It's okay Ric, go back to class." Alaric held open the door to the bathroom, and let them out. The hallway was deserted as everyone was still in class. Elena had no difficulty getting Caroline into the car park, she did though, underestimate one Salvatore brother. Damon was waiting for her, leaning his black trousers against his shiny blue camaro, with that cocky grin on his face which usually meant he'd done something stupid.

"Tsk Tsk. Skipping school. What would Stefan say?" he teased. Elena didn't have time to laugh, her friend was in pain. Caroline crushed Elena's arm with her vampire strength, making her wince, and Damon whooshed to her side. Caroline, he picked up in a bridal pose and deposited her into his car.

"To Caroline's. She's sick," Elena said. Damon put out his hand to allow her to climb into the back seat. He put his foot down but instead of taking her home, he took her to the Salvatore boarding house. It took a moment before Damon persuaded Elena that this was a better idea. In less than thirty seconds he had her through the door and resting on the couch.

"Want to tell me what exactly is going on? I know it's not you to skip Mr Saltzman's history class. How is Alaric? I haven't seen him since..." he began, already with a glass of bourbon.

"Since you killed him?" Elena provided. Damon sculled his bourbon and he shrugged her shoulders.

Caroline's arm shot up in the air distracting the tension between Damon and Elena. As much as she hated the guy, their flirting would have to be postponed until she could transfer the pain of the baby's foot on her kidney. "Damon, get over here." Caroline demanded.

He sauntered over and hovered, staring at her until she wrenched his arm from his socket, and squeezed tight. Elena brushed her hair softly, speaking encouraging words.

"Would someone kindly tell me why vampire-barbie is breaking my hand?"

"I'm pregnant, you idiot," she gasped, groaning as the baby rolled in her stomach. Seconds later she had propped herself up on her elbows, eyeing the second glass of bourbon in Damon's hand. "I guess it would be bad to drink that," she said, sadly. "Damon, you seem speechless. I think it's the first time I've seen you this way. Do you need to put your hand in some ice?" She and Elena smirked.

Damon ignored them, his hand would heal. "How did this happen?!"

**Beep. Beep.**

"Is it Bonnie?" Caroline asked.

Elena shook her head.

"Stefan," she said.

"What does it say?" Caroline asked.

Damon's head fell into his hands in defeat, then he rose abruptly. "Getting blood."

"Can you get me some too?" she called out. Damon grunted and Caroline felt much better. She turned back to Elena. "Well?"

"Stefan's coming over," Elena murmured.

Caroline pulled her jumped down as Damon came back with two blood bags. He poured each one into separate glasses and gave one to Caroline and drank the other himself. Elena and Caroline saw Stefan leaning against the door. He was smirking.

"Well, hello brother."

Stefan, the ripper, swaggered into the room. He gave Elena a grin showing his teeth. She was only still alive because Klaus had wanted it: his own personal blood-bag, and Stefan was his messenger.

Stefan took Damon's glass and drank the rest. He screwed up his nose in disgust and cracked his neck, intending to frighten Elena. "Can't stand this stuff, it's so much better to taste the vein, to gulp down the fresh, warm blood of a living being. You agree, Damon?" Damon snatched back his glass.

"What do you want, Stefan?"

"Klaus told me to protect Elena. I'm just going to sit here. Carry on with your mere conversations, even if they are about me." He stared up at the ceiling and Damon frowned. Elena reached for Caroline's hand and they sat together passing thoughts in expressions but unable to converse.

_Do something!_ Elena stared at Damon.

Caroline squeezed Elena's hand._ It's happening again! _

"Where is Klaus?" Damon intervened. He glanced at Caroline who seemed to regain control.

Elena stood up. "I'm going to the bathroom."

Stefan tilted his head. "I know when you're lying, Elena."

"Let go of me!" she yelled.

"Damon, get out of my face, or I'll break yours," Stefan threatened. Damon stepped back, but only when Elena was sitting back on the couch with Caroline.

**Beep. Beep.**

Damon pulled out his phone. He read the message from Ric. 'Need help. Caroline's ill. Where R U?'

_Who was it? _Elena demanded.

Damon shook his head. Besides, Ric would be with them shortly. They just had to get Stefan out of the house, or better, detoxed. Two heavy suitcases fell on the carpet at the front door and everybody in the room saw an impatient Rebekah Mikaelson, walk straight inside, slamming the door and complaining about her brother, Klaus.

"Don't know what he was thinking. He left! Left me here with you losers." Rebekah tossed her pony-tail over her shoulder and sank into the chair opposite Caroline and Elena.

Stefan smiled, "You're not staying with us." He said, watching Elena as he said it. Damon and Caroline exchanged looks of their own.

"Like you have any say in what I do, Stefan," Rebekah said.

The doorbell rang this time, and Damon was first to see who it was. Alaric stood there and at the and Damon pulled him inside by the shirt.

"About time," he muttered. "Well, well, Elena! Look who's here to pick you and Caroline up?" Elena got the hint, the sooner she escaped Stefan the better. Alaric tried to look less suspicious.

"What's up with her?" Rebekah asked, looking at Stefan for answers.

"Don't ask me. I just live here," Stefan said, wiping a line of dust off the desk near him. Elena and Alaric supported Caroline and they walked towards the door, willing their hearts to not to jump. Stefan tried to follow, but Damon caught him by the arm. "She'll get there safely, she has Alaric."

Stefan shook himself free, his hand at Damon's throat. "Tell me, what's going on, or I'll pull your heart out right now." He tightened his grip, making Damon choke.

"You won't do it. I'm your brother," he pushed against him.

"Oh, some entertainment," Rebekah said, pulling her legs onto the couch and twirling her hair between her fingers.

"Shut up Rebekah," Stefan snapped. "Leave us."

"No, I want to watch you kill your brother," she said.

Damon winced when Stefan's fingers dug into his flesh, he couldn't breathe.

"He's bluffing," Damon choked. Stefan's eyes bore into Damon's and they stayed like that until Rebekah, getting bored, went to get something or some_one_ to eat.

"Now, I'll ask you one more time, what's wrong with Caroline?" Damon stared at his little brother, not telling him a word, for Elena's sake. Caroline was her friend, after all. Stefan gripped his heart, squeezing it tight, blood dripped from his wrist, and Damon fell helplessly to his knees. Fear shook him, as the ripper bent forward, waiting for his last request.

"She's pregnant," he gasped, then Stefan broke his neck.

Damon stirred hours later, with his heart intact, and Rebekah standing over him pouring blood into his open mouth.

**A/N: Please review. **


	2. The Hybrid & The Ripper

**A/N: Thanks to all who have reviewed, story-alerted and favourited, it means so much to be able to write something that I love but also to have so many people react to it in a good way too. Updated: 19/11/13. **

**The Hybrid & The Ripper**

2

Tyler was drinking from a girl he'd seen at Mystic Falls High, she was about sixteen or so, with curly hair and green eyes, but she was irrelevant. His for the taking. Rebekah had compelled her to forget that he was going to drink her blood. He liked this new sensation, the sticky blood dripping from his fangs and running down his throat. It felt so good, besides Caroline should have understood. He wanted her helping him not Rebekah, but they'd had a huge fight when he said he lusted for more than animal blood and hospital blood-bags. He needed what real vampires needed, the throbbing vein of a living person. He liked the chase as much as any, being part wolf.

Rebekah finished pouring what was lost in the blood bag down Damon's throat when he got to the Salvatore boarding house after his run.

"What's going on?" he asked.

"Oh Tyler, I brought you some dinner. Take your pick," she said, clicking her fingers so that several girls came into the room. Damon had recovered only slightly and groaned, picking himself off the floor as she licked the blood from her fingers.

"What's _he_ doing here?" Damon groaned.

"I invited him. Do you need me to show you how?" Rebekah looked satisfied when he tilted the nearest girl's head and bit her neck, drinking until he was buzzing for more. He carelessly let her lifeless corpse go and felt Rebekah's hand on his shoulder, directing him to the next girl, who waited patiently as though serving her country.

"Damon, you'll clean that up won't you?"

When Damon had finished burning the bodies of the three dead girls, their limbs in knots, and dirt beneath his nails, he grabbed his leather jacket and headed to the bar to meet Alaric.

0o0o

"Didn't you leave one for me?" Stefan asked, staring at the blood-stained rug in front of the fire.

Tyler raised his head from the couch, and settled back down when Rebekah intercepted him.

"He's gone out, and no, you're a big boy, can't you do your hunting yourself?" she traced a finger down Stefan's jaw, gaining the upper hand.

"You know very well how I like to hunt," he said, grabbing her wrist and holding her gaze.

"Think about your next move, Stefan. As an original I could break your neck like-"

Stefan tossed her arm away, much to Rebekah's delight. "Have you told Tyler?"

"Told _me_ what?" Tyler asked, turning to see Stefan and Rebekah watching him.

"No," she said, avoiding Tyler's confused expression.

"Well _you_ should tell him, Klaus already knows."

"I suppose _you_ told him?" she sighed.

"Klaus told _me_ to keep an eye on Elena."

"Like this has _anything_ to do with Elena."

"Caroline's her friend, this has _everything_ to do with Elena."

"_Tell me what_?!" Tyler repeated, sick of being ignored.

Stefan sat on the opposite couch and looked at Rebekah and then at Tyler. "Why Caroline's been avoiding you. It's because she's pregnant, and congratulations, you're the father." Stefan clapped sarcastically, leaving Tyler speechless and feeling sick.

"That's why she's been wearing baggy clothes," Tyler murmured.

"Klaus will be home tomorrow," Stefan added, making him look up in shock. "Don't worry, he probably won't kill her, just it. Who knows what kinds of problems it will bring him." Tyler felt the blood inside him turn to grease. "That gives you now and a few hours to talk to Caroline." Tyler was already out the door when he said that. "Be grateful, for that." Stefan grinned, catching Rebekah's disapproving eye.

0o0o

Damon found Alaric at the bar already into his second beer. He sat next to him and saw Matt serving at a table nearby. He ordered a whisky, and enquired about the girls.

"Elena and Bonnie are staying the night. Caroline's in bed. She was throwing up when I left."

Damon grimaced. He'd have to do something fast.

"So, what's going on?" Alaric said, willing to put their differences aside for Elena.

Damon put down his whisky. "Tyler's drinking human blood, he's the father of Caroline's hybrid baby and Stefan almost killed me. Anything else?" Alaric raised his eyebrow. "Oh yeah, Rebekah's staying at the house, Elena is Klaus' personal blood-bag and Stefan's a ripper."

"So, what are we going to do, Damon?" Alaric said, wiping the condensation from his glass.

"We're going to think of a plan," he replied.

"Your plans don't normally work, you know that right?" He reminded him.

"That's why I've called upon my faithful buddy," he said, tilting his drink as if to say cheers.

"Buddy? I hope you're not talking about me?" Alaric asked.

"You are the closest thing."

"You killed me."

"I saved you, Ric."

"How in the world did you save me? Because I'm pretty sure you snapped my neck and left."

"You weren't going to die, you had the ring."

"Sometimes I think you don't have any plans at all."

"Tell me this, if I hadn't, would you have stepped up into this world to take care of Elena and Jeremy and asked Carol Lockwood to confide in you at the council so you could protected the humans?"

"How do you know that?"

Damon tapped his ear and winked. "Really good eavesdropper, remember?"

Alaric sighed. "So, the plan?"

"Kill Tyler."

"That's a terrible plan. Elena won't let you."

"We won't tell her," and Damon smiled at the waitress, as she cleared away Alaric's empty glass.

"What about Stefan?" Alaric questioned.

"Detox him."

"And Rebekah?" He raised his eyebrows.

"Remember that dagger we have that kills Originals?"

"It's keeping Elijah dead Damon," Alaric reminded him. Damon smiled, bursting from excitement.

"Exactly, but what if he wasn't dead?"

"He betrayed us twice, Damon. Besides he won't want you killing his sister."

"He'll be too busy torturing Stefan to hear what we're doing with his sister."

"That sounds insane." Damon cocked an eyebrow. "I'm in." Alaric clincked his glass against Damon's and they sculled the rest of their drinks, giving Matt a holler when he passed by.

0o0o

"Caroline?" Liz called, entering the dark house with trepidation. Her relationship with her daughter had undergone a massive transformation that year. From not knowing what her daughter was thinking, to accepting her daughter was a vampire. It was Bonnie who came out of Caroline's room with her finger to her lips and anxious eyes that Liz began to get worried. "What's going on? Bonnie?"

"Did you come alone?" Bonnie sounded unlike herself.

"Yes - Bonnie - where is she?" Liz asked, turning pale.

"She's inside with Elena, but she's not well," Bonnie warned.

'What's wrong with her?" Liz asked. He voice dangerously quiet.

"She should be the one to tell you that," Bonnie said.

Worried that something terrible had happened, Liz hurried into Caroline's room where her curtains had been drawn and Caroline's tired voice rasped, "Mum?"

"What is it honey?" she asked, denting the mattress, and brushing her sweaty hair from her head.

"Mum, I'm sorry." Her eyes filled with tears, and Elena moved aside with Bonnie.

"I'm pregnant," her lips barely moved. Liz reached for her daughter's hand, needing comfort for herself but reassuring Caroline at the same time. She let her mother's warm hands pull up her shirt and press the small baby bump on her stomach. There was one kick, that's all it took, for her mother to start crying.

"We don't know how," Bonnie explained. "I'm looking into it."

"I'm here for you, baby." Liz whispered, covering her stomach. "Whatever you need."

Caroline smiled in relief, and Elena and Bonnie left them to talk.

There was a knock on the door and Elena turned to Bonnie with a gasp, thinking it was Stefan. Bonnie went first. She peered through the glass to see Tyler rolling back and forth on his feet. Elena could see Matt, not quite sure of what was going on but also wanting to take part. She went to talk to him.

"Tyler?" Bonnie asked.

"Where is she?" Tyler demanded, somewhat desperately.

"What do you want?"

"I want to see my girlfriend," he said.

"She doesn't want to see you." Bonnie replied.

"Get out of my way Bonnie," he said.

"I said. She doesn't. Want. To. See. You." Bonnie said, taking a step forward and raising her hands, trying to protect everyone inside the house from an unpredictable Tyler.

Tyler growled and as his irrational mind took over, he attacked Elena and Matt: bites to their necks, provoking Bonnie, who was now shaking in rage. He had lured her out of the house, and as Bonnie raised her hands to begin a chant, he threw a stake and it speared her through the neck, where she her scream stopped abruptly and she crumbled against the woven chair on the porch, leaving Tyler to step over her, convinced he'd done the right thing.

This was the only way he could save Caroline. Klaus was coming to kill her.

"Bonnie? Elena?" Liz asked as she saw the silhouette standing in the doorway. "Who was at the door?" Liz stood, unsure of the intruder, her hands went to her gun when Tyler entered, his eyes glinting strangely. Suddenly his hand was on her throat.

"I just need to talk to her."

"Tyler... she's weak. Can't you leave it til the morning?"

"No. I need to speak to her now. _Leave_." Tyler compelled her. Liz didn't have a choice. She was on vervain but it didn't work. Not for the Hybrid. She left the room and Caroline stirred, seeing Tyler standing over her, she gasped and sat up.

"Weren't you going to tell me?" He murmured, sounding hurt.

"I tried," she whispered.

"I'm your boyfriend. You're meant to trust me," he said.

"I d-do trust you," Caroline lied. At least she used to, before Klaus came to Mystic Falls.

"No you don't. You can't have, if you did you would have told me. Why didn't you, Caroline? I love you. I was there for you, wasn't I?"

"Tyler, I was afraid," she started, her eyes wide with fear.

"Afraid of me?"

Caroline was silent. "Where is everyone?" A terrible feeling overwhelmed her, the house was quiet and Tyler still hadn't moved. His hand touched her stomach, then he tugged off her jumper, admiring her small bump. Caroline was aware that her stomach had grown bigger than it had been that morning. Tyler put his ear against her pale skin and her breath caught in her lungs. He lifted his face to stare into her frightened eyes and she witnessed a desperate sadness.

"Klaus is coming to kill you. He'll be here tomorrow. I had to, they wouldn't let me in."

"Do what?" Caroline asked, holding his arm.

"I hurt them..." he explained, seeing it all happening over again in his head.

"Who? You're not making any sense, Tyler." His frightened look, reassured her of the answer she feared. "Where are they?" she climbed out of bed.

"He's coming to kill you. I have to protect you." She shook herself free of him and ran outside to where Bonnie lay in a heap with a stake through her pretty neck and where Matt and Elena lay sprawled out on the grass hand in hand with Stefan, feeding them his blood. Caroline nicked her wrist and fed her blood to Bonnie, removing the stake as Bonnie healed.

"You did this." She shoved Tyler down the steps, and off the porch, anger rising. Her fangs released and her screams made the dogs in neighbouring houses bark. "I don't even know who you are anymore."

"You don't understand what it's like Care-"

"Get out-" Tyler grabbed her arms so she couldn't push him any further. His lips crashed against hers and he felt her fangs recede, tasting her salty tears. She felt the baby pushing against her navel and she moaned against him. Tyler lifted her chin "I love you, Care."

She'd wanted him to say those words in forever, but today was different. It wasn't enough. Not after what he'd done. "Klaus will kill you and I can't stop him, but I will try."

Tyler looked at her with pity and then he gagged, he gagged and he choked and collapsed. She felt his weight against her, so afraid and confused, and then she saw Bonnie chanting. Her eyes were a glassy opaque colour. "Bonnie, please don't kill him!"

Tyler writhed on the grass, his tortured screams made her stomach flip, and she thought perhaps he was connected to the baby somehow.

"She won't." Stefan grabbed Bonnie's arm, wrenching it down, and startling her mid-spell. "Go look after Elena and Matt. I'll look after Caroline and Tyler." He demanded, glaring at her when she hesitated. Caroline watched Bonnie, Matt and Elena leave her reluctantly, and turned to Stefan with one burning question in mind.

"Is Klaus really coming to kill me?" Caroline asked while Stefan hauled an unconscious Tyler over his shoulder. She was reaching out to her friend Stefan, forgetting that the compassion in him had gone.

"He'll be here tomorrow, why don't you ask him then?"

"Stefan-" Caroline said, grabbing his elbow. She pleaded for him to stay with her, but he didn't say anything more. She watched him disappear into the night, with only the lonely hoot of an owl to keep her company. She slammed the door and cried. She cried because she loved Tyler too. She cried because she was scared of Klaus and scared of the pregnancy. She cried because her mother had left and because Tyler had hurt her friends. She cried until she was cried out and then she just sat there in the dark, a protective hand over her baby, waiting for Klaus to come.

**A/N: Please review.**


	3. Klaus Returns

**A/N: Aw... I love you guys. You are all way too nice to me! If I owned TVD Damon would be mine not Elena's and Klaus would be in my bed, forever and always! Updated: 19/11/13.**

**Klaus Returns**

**3**

"What happened to Tyler?" Rebekah asked, leaving behind her magazines when Stefan deposited the unconscious boy on the couch by the fading fire. "Looks like the Witch almost killed him."

Rebekah placed her hand against his face. She bit her wrist and fed it to him, until he was breathing steadily. She demanded to be told everything, and Stefan flicked through the titles of her magazines out of boredom. He took his time, as usual.

"He attacked them. He loves her. You do remember what love is, don't you?"

"Do you?" Rebekah said, as Tyler stirred. Stefan watched with a smirk as Rebekah played nurse and then when Tyler was finally asleep, they left him to recover.

"What exactly do you think is up there for you?" Stefan said, turning abruptly on the stairs to witness her innocent expression. Her eyes surveyed him carefully, then she shrugged.

"My room's not very interesting, besides it's drafty there."

"Well, try Damon's." Stefan said, continuing down the hall until he reached his room.

"It smells of bourbon," Rebekah complained.

"Well, go sleep outside where you belong."

"Why are you so grumpy, Stefan?"

"Why do you think?"

Stefan removed his shirt and flung it on his desk. "There's nothing for you here, Rebekah."

Rebekah's eyes darted from Stefan's smirk, down his perfectly toned abs and stopped at the waist band of his underpants.

"You're not my type anymore," she said, climbing onto his bed.

"You don't have a type Rebekah." he reminded her, removing his pants. Rebekah tried her hardest not to react and even after ninety years in a coffin, her feelings remained the same. "Go and play nurse." Stefan ordered, picking up journals and laughing at his own naivety.

"You'd like that, wouldn't you Stefan?" she muttered, leaning on her elbows so that Stefan noticed the way her breasts squashed against his quilt covers. When he didn't say anything she hopped off the bed aiming to leave, but he grabbed her arm, spinning her around to have his lips meet hers.

Surprised at first, she relaxed only when Stefan pulled her back to the bed, stripping her of her clothes until she lay in her underwear beneath him. Their lips were locked together. He tugged at them with his teeth, still remembering the little things she liked. His hands in her hair and his lips sucking her precious neck. She became vulnerable, though an Original, he gained the upper hand this time and he would keep it.

She moaned his name, frustrated to still be clothed. He unbuckled her bra, burying his head between her breasts and taking turns to suck each bud, enjoying the way she emitted gorgeous sounds in response. He'd never felt like he could do this with Elena, and now that he had Rebekah he felt like he could do anything. "I'm not that easy," she said. Rebekah squeezed his crotch and his eyes grew red, fangs bursting from his gums, making him groan. She was on top now, her persistent hand rubbing his groin. Stefan felt himself grow hard in a matter of seconds. "You were always easier," she whispered into his ear. Stefan grinned, she had gotten the better of him, but ninety years was a long time ago. He'd learned a few new things. He flipped her and she screamed in frustration.

"Face it Rebekah, I'm a different person now. And I'm getting pretty good at this after so much practice." Before Rebekah could pout, Stefan was already inside her. She had lost. She tried to regain control, but he pushed her arms back beside her ears, and kissed her. Saliva joined their mouths and her eyes fluttered as his tongue battled hers for domination. Her legs twisted around him, and he cupped her face, holding her gaze to make sure she was enjoying him. He rode her, back and forth, his legs entwined with hers, his arms wrapped around her soul-less body. Every gasp and moan, encouraged him to pleasure her with his fingers at the same time. She squirmed, her eyelid's fluttered on the edge of her orgasm. Stefan pulled out, teasing her. She would have to beg for more.

"Never."

Stefan's mouth massaged and teased the skin between her breasts and ribcage. He told her the things he would do to her, if she submitted to him. His cock pressed hard into her thigh where minutes before, it had been pounding the walls of her vagina.

"Say it." Her sweet perfume filled his nostrils. "I'm waiting."

"S-Stefan..." she complained, pulling him back on top of her. He raised his eyebrows.

"I believe the word you are looking for starts with 'P'."

"Please!" she demanded, needing him, missing him and wanting him.

"Actually I feel like a coffee," Stefan said, twisting away. She sat up, grabbing his arm.

"Don't you dare."

He kissed her. Little peppered kisses, slowing his pace and taking his time to enjoy what she had on offer. She fitted nicely around him. She was beautiful under his body, her eyes were closed as she returned his kisses and arched her back to get the most out of their little escapade. He returned to her pert, thin lips and exhaling deeply. Their banter had led them to that moment, where Stefan kissed her cheek, and smiled into her appreciative eye. One last thrust sent an orgasm to shatter across her body. He held her tight, his mouth on hers as he felt his release and his fangs plunged through his gums. He roared and plunged his face against her shoulder, nuzzling her with his gums.

Then he laughed, his fangs disappearing and Rebekah punched him in the arm.

Stefan rolled off her. "Now, you must admit, I'm good, better than you remembered." She smiled, letting his arms cuddle her bare shoulders and agreed. "Good night," he whispered, kissing the top of her head. Rebekah groaned, sitting up, her hair tousled and her lipstick smudged, seeing the condition of her clothes flung about the room and decided they could wait til the morning.

0o0o

As his echoing footsteps walked through the rain, Klaus grinned to himself, his smile, leaving dimples in his cheeks. He couldn't wait to see their faces. _The Hybrid's lover was pregnant._ Well, that wasn't part of his plan for world domination. _It just wouldn't do._ He wanted to see Stefan before he disposed of the girl. Then, maybe he'd visit the lovely Elena. Klaus stopped, staring ahead, speak of the Devil, Damon Salvatore and Alaric Saltzman were leaving the pub in a right state, slurring their words, arm in arm and singing some sort of rap song. He cracked his neck, watching them leave and continued on his way.

"Sister, you didn't. You little Harlot" Klaus was standing in the doorway of Stefan's bedroom at the two naked bodies, entwined with blankets. Stefan stirred. Klaus grinned, thinking the entire thing quite funny really, and he crossed his arms, waiting to be noticed. "Stefan," he said once Stefan had opened his eyes.

Stefan tried to wake Rebekah, but she had snuggled deeper into his chest and it was a lost cause.

"Just leave her, we have work to do." Klaus said impatiently. Stefan rolled out of bed and got changed, leaving Rebekah to wake up alone. "Now tell me, how is she in bed? Better than Elena?" Stefan didn't answer but Klaus laughed, gloriously anyway.

0o0o

Rebekah rolled over, pushing her arms beneath the pillows only to find Stefan had disappeared during the night. "Bastard." She hissed, wiping her eyes and looking up to find Damon smirking at her instead and those eyes laughing at her. She pulled up the blankets to cover her left breast.

"Now that's a side I've never seen before. Tell me, where is Stefan?" He asked with a smirk.

"Oh shut up! And I wouldn't know." Rebekah said as she rolled out of bed taking the blankets with her. She ran a hand through her knotty blond hair and glared at Damon. She didn't like being left behind. Whatever Stefan was doing had to be either important or it had something to do with her brother, Klaus.

"Looks like Stefan doesn't care for you after-all. Just a bit of fun in the sack was it?" Damon grinned.

"If you tell anyone about this, I will kill you," she threatened, standing inches from his face, wearing only Stefan's bed sheets. Damon rolled his eyes. "I'm going to take a shower."

"You do that." Damon said, waiting quietly in the doorway.

A few minutes later there was a scream. Damon poked his head around the door into the on-suite where Alaric was holding Rebekah's lifeless body, the dagger wedged between her shoulder blades. Alaric let go of the knife and gently lay her onto the tiles. Alaric seemed desperate to tell him something but his hands were shaking and Damon didn't have time to listen to him whine.

"We can't just leave her." Alaric said, pointing at her body. "Elijah will be awake any second. We have to hide her somewhere."

"Ok." And Damon put Rebekah's body into the bath tub, behind the shower curtain. "Nice and hidden. Let's go kill Tyler."

"I still don't like that part of the plan." Alaric closed the door to the bathroom.

"That's ok Ric, you can always wait outside."

"So where's Stefan?' Alaric sighed.

Damon shook his head, "No idea."

"Shouldn't you be worried?"

"Why? He's probably stalking Elena."

Damon and Alaric froze on the stairwell as Tyler Lockwood stood at the bottom, furious. "Stefan left with Klaus. What did you do to Rebekah?" Alaric exchanged an anxious look with Damon.

"She's dead, and your turn is coming up.. right... now." Damon flung himself down the stairs, his fingers wrapped around Tyler's throat. Alaric was hurrying down, pulling out vervain needles and before he could ramm one into Tyler's neck, Elijah appeared from the cellar looking annoyed. He was wearing a suit covered in dust and bugs, after being there for some time.

"What exactly has been going on?" Elijah asked in that calm civil voice which had annoyed Damon from the start. Damon held Tyler's gnashing hybrid teeth away from him, while giving Elijah his reply.

"Nothing really, except that Klaus is in town. If you want to take your revenge, now would be the time." Damon said, fighting against Tyler who was actually more powerful than he had intended him to be. Tyler shoved Damon back against the wall, then knocked Alaric off his feet so he hit the opposite wall and the vervain needles smashed. Damon groaned, even more frustrated than before, and wishing he could just wring Tyler's neck, but the thought of Elena stopped him.

"You're the werewolf." Elijah merely stated, dusting off his jacket and pants and combing his hair.

"Hybrid." Tyler corrected.

"Ah!" Elijah's eyes lit up.

Damon watched both Elijah and Tyler, not sure which one would take their revenge out on him. He'd done pretty bad things to both, trying to save Elena of course. Elijah surveyed the Salvatore boarding house and turned to Damon.

"Would you kindly tell me why you resurrected me? If you are negotiating with me, then you better tell me what you want." Tyler hesitated, as if contemplating running upstairs to find Rebekah but too afraid of what Elijah would do. Elijah waited with his hands in his pockets, quite patiently since Damon had in-fact killed him twice already.

"I don't have all day Damon. What is it you want." And he glanced over at Alaric's unconscious body as he spoke.

"I want Stefan. A lot has happened since your death. Since Klaus betrayed you. He's building a hybrid army. He compelled Stefan to be his wing-man and now Stefan is a ripper - he's dangerous and needs to be stopped. We need to find him before he does more damage. I figured you'd be able to help us." Damon said, avoiding Tyler's punch to the head, and pinning him face first into a landscape Stefan had liked.

"And what is in it for me?" Elijah asked.

"Your brother, Klaus. No doubt Stefan will need to go to him at some point. You can follow him, take revenge on Klaus and bring Stefan back home," Damon reasoned.

"Get off me!" Tyler yelled.

"That's a nice idea, but I believe I am going to need more than that as a bargaining chip." Elijah smiled and Damon was left wondering what else he could give him.

"Let me see, Damon. Why don't I take Tyler off your hands. He can come with me, that way when Stefan comes home you can do what you will, and Klaus will follow. It's just a waiting game for me. Ah, Elena, just in time."

Damon whipped his head over to the door where Elena paused, one toe inside and the other in the air. Damon groaned, why didn't she ever do as she was told? He returned his attention to Elijah.

"He's sired to Klaus." Damon warned, giving Elena a stern look and hoping she got the message to stay out of his business.

"That's interesting indeed," Elijah said.

"Tyler?" Elena said, calling out to him. Tyler grunted, in response.

As if things weren't bad enough Matt stepped into the hallway, his throat was bandaged but he had his hand out as though wanting his friend to come and join him, as though he had somehow forgiven him for ripping out his jugular. Of course, Matt had been there when Damon was telling Alaric his plan in the Grill - he had been stupid to think that Matt didn't also learn how to eavesdrop.

"I told Elena you were planning on killing Tyler." Matt admitted. "You can't just come into this town and start killing people. I know what you did to Vicki."

"Excuse me?" Damon said, raising an eyebrow and throwing Tyler onto the floor impatiently.

"You killed her, and then turned her!" Matt yelled.

"It's what she wanted," Damon rebuked.

"Really? So you weren't bored then?"And he turned to Elena and shrugged, "Guess you were wrong then." Damon bit back his retort - after everything he had done for her... Elena avoided his gaze, instead she saw Alaric, crumbled against the wall.

"Alaric!" Elena pressed her hand over his forehead and shook his shoulders sending Damon a withering look which he ignored naturally. Frankly he wasn't about to forgive her for telling Matt all about his dead vampire sister, AND it wasn't even him who slaughtered her, it was Stefan - because she was a menace to the humans. Ironic how things turned out. Still he was painted as the bad boy, so that's who he'd be.

Elijah had been watching the events unfold and he stepped over the mess in the hall, bringing Tyler with him. "Well then Damon, I believe we have a deal." Elijah held out his hand which Damon shook briefly. "Give me a day and you shall have control over Stefan and Tyler and I shall have a lovely picnic with Klaus."

Tyler picked himself up from the floor. "Klaus is here," he said. "He arrived early this morning, before Damon killed Rebekah," he muttered, making Elijah stop in his tracks.

"Excuse me?" And he turned to face Damon. "My sister, Rebekah is here?"

There was stillness in the room from that moment and as Alaric stirred, Damon chose his words carefully. As he figured out what to say, it was Alaric who gave Elijah's his reply, supported by Elena and Matt, and afterwards giving Damon a resigned smile. "We had to sacrifice someone in order to release you from the dagger."

Elijah seemed unimpressed.

"Klaus had stabbed her back in the 1920s." Damon added helpfully. "If we'd kept her alive she would only have gotten in the way. It's better this way." Damon was about to relax when the Original stepped forward, inches from his face.

"Damon Salvatore, you have much to learn." Elijah sounded frustrated and annoyed, granted it had been Klaus who had killed him last, it must have been Damon who had pulled his body from the floor of Alaric's apartment and brought him to the Salvatore's cellar.

Damon looked uncertain as Elijah cracked his neck and said: "You really should know by now, that meddling in other vampire's affairs is none of your business-" his hand wrapped itself around Damon's fragile heart, making a sort of loud squelching noise that caused Elena to scream and creating mayhem. Alaric stepped up to protect Elena who had tried to rush forward to help Matt, while Damon's knees buckled and blood dribbled out of his mouth.

"Let this be a warning to you and your meddling. If you break your deal: I will break _her_ heart." Elijah said, glancing over at Elena, struggling in Alaric's arms. Damon agreed. "Good, until later then." Elijah, clasped Tyler by the neck and pushed him out the door.

Alaric released Elena, and she rushed forwards to catch Damon before he hit the ground. He looked up into her worried eyes and knew that despite the bickering and everything that had happened to Stefan, she still cared.

"Thank you," he said.

"You're welcome," she said, flattening his shirt, not caring that her hands were covered in his blood.

Alaric was helping Matt stand, while Elena fed Damon a bag of hospital-blood, his head resting in her lap and her hand running through his hair. She was angry at him for wanting to kill Tyler after her specifically telling him not to. Tyler was her friend, and yet, since the attack, since Caroline's pregnancy and since Stefan had broken up with her, everything was a mess. Nobody knew what to do and everybody was scared of their newest threat, of Klaus's return. She had tricked him once but how long before he regretted keeping her alive?

Elena helped him stand. He'd risked everything, sometimes acting so selfishly and yet, it was these moments of vulnerability that she really felt like she saw him, not as Stefan's brother, but as the person he had been when he was human. He was still weak but strong enough to speak. He looked terrible and Elena wondered why she wasn't more furious with him, but now they had bigger things to worry about, like if Elijah was telling the truth.

The last time they had trusted him he had betrayed them, only to get stabbed in the back by Klaus and leaving Elena available to be sacrificed. That was the same night her aunt Jenna had been turned and murdered; the same night Tyler's friend, Jools was killed, and it had all been for Klaus' plan: to create more hybrids, just like himself. She hated herself for getting Jenna into that mess and then losing her forever. It had devastated them all.

Alaric made a face. "Well, that was fun, let's not do that again."

Damon grimaced. "I need a bourbon." And he poured two glasses, one for himself and one for Alaric.

"Cheers," Alaric murmured, as Elena and Matt moved into the lounge room.

She was still listing everything that had happened in her head.

Then came Stefan's deal, to release Jenna and take him instead, but Klaus had said no. And then, Stefan was compelled, he was to follow orders and become the ripper he always feared. Damon had said that this was Stefan's true self and she refused to believe her boyfriend could be like that, like Damon had been. In Chicago, she had witnessed the names of Stefan's victims kept hidden in a cupboard in his apartment. She had been there when Damon went to talk to Klaus' witch Gloria and she had seen Stefan face to face and he hadn't given her away. She convinced herself it was because he must still love her even when the time came for him drain all of her blood and then kill her, he had resisted.

This was before Klaus realised she was important. Before Klaus realised the blood of a doppelganger was the key to his success. His epiphany that her blood saved the hybrid. And then, Elena had to witness Stefan breaking up with her again, afraid of what Klaus would do to her. She wouldn't believe it, never. "I don't love you Elena." Those harsh words would echo through her head. Each time she saw him she was reminded of how he hurt her. How he didn't care anymore. How he had a secret past with Klaus and Rebekah and how it was Rebekah's necklace, not hers.

They had nothing now. No love, no friendship, just pain. She was alone, in a world she couldn't predict. She had to let go of her memories and be in the present. She had to think about Caroline and be there for her and the baby; she had to look after Matt who was only just new to knowing about their supernatural friends; she had to look after Jeremy and Alaric; she had to help Bonnie and she had to be around Damon, because if she lost Damon, then she'd forget everything that had happened and she'd forget Stefan, and she couldn't do that, not yet.

"Elena?" Matt interrupted her thoughts. "Are you ok?"

She had never wanted this for him, but being kept in the dark was too dangerous and yet, that's how it had started with Jenna, and in the end, she needed to tell him.

"Just tired. Are you ok?"

"I guess so. I just don't understand Tyler. We were trying to help him."

"He's desperate and confused and he's trying to handle being a vampire and a werewolf. The only person like him is Klaus. It's no wonder that he's acting strange." Elena reasoned. She felt the bandage on her neck sadly and looked over at Damon who had been watching her. She smiled gratefully, forgiving him and his reckless plans, at least for the moment. Elena stood up to get a drink and Damon put his hand on hers just as she reached for the bottle.

"Tsk Tsk. None for you Missy."

"Why not?!" Elena hissed. "I think I deserve a glass."

"Because I'm leaving some for Stefan when he gets here."

Elena pouted, and Matt and Alaric exchanged looks while Damon chuckled to himself and drank what was left in his glass.

**A/N: Please review.**


	4. The Original Brothers

**A/N: Aw... I love you guys. Thanks for leaving reviews and feedback! If I owned TVD, Damon and Alaric would play paintball and Klaus and Stefan would be ping pong champions.** **You may need tissues.**

**The Original Brothers**

**4**

Caroline must have fallen asleep because she woke up with her head leaning rather uncomfortably against the kitchen sink and the rays of the sun peaking through the curtains. She called out to her mother but there was still no answer and she picked herself up thinking the house was far too quiet for her liking, plus she was sick of waiting. Klaus hadn't turned up to kill her, maybe he had changed his mind. She laughed at this statement, even though it really wasn't that funny. Caroline was hungry. Her baby was hungry, and there was nothing to eat in the house. She'd have to go hunting.

There was a forest nearby full of bunnies which Stefan had showed her on her first hunting trip which she had taken a liking too, though she had never really liked ripping out a bunny's throat it was still a nicer way to hunt than killing humans, especially since she knew most of them. Caroline picked up her leather jacket and made a face, she was wearing pyjamas. Oh well. It was still pretty early, so she pulled up her top to see the progress her baby had made during the night. Almost four months and she looked like she was nine. She left the house and entered the forest to hear only her footsteps on the leaf-strewn forest floor. She stood there, listening for movement, smelling leaves, warmth and...creatures.

Caroline crouched slowly. Her ears pricked up as she spotted a bunny hopping cautiously around a tree in the distance and remembered just how starving she was. Her mouth watered as she desired it. Her fangs slipped out and her eyes grew bloodshot, she let her instincts take over and pounced, ready for the chase. She fed on it until the baby and herself were content and she touched on an old memory where Stefan had first taught her, and how excited she had been about it all, excited and scared.

"Looks like you remember what I taught you." Caroline nearly tripped over a fallen tree branch to see Stefan watching her. Her heart was beating so fast, she almost felt like she was going to pee in her pants. _Damn pregnancy!_

"What are you doing here?!" she said, annoyed.

"Klaus wants a word," he said, and she watched in horror as Klaus appeared suddenly.

"Hello Caroline." She had nowhere to run, nor did she really feel up to it.

"If you are going to kill me and my baby, then you better do it quickly," she hissed. "Preferably before I throw up from morning sickness." She didn't like this chit-chat. Nor had she forgotten how many loved ones he had killed or ruined in Mystic Falls.

"She's right," Stefan shrugged, "Besides, I have better things to do."

Klaus chuckled and Caroline's hormones began to rage more than normal. "You know he's just using you right? The time will come Stefan, when he realises that he was wrong to trust you, when he realises that when it comes to Elena, even compulsion won't stand in the way of true love." Caroline stated fiercely.

Stefan grimaced, "Elena means nothing to me."

Klaus got his answer, but there was some truth in what Caroline had to say and he would have to check this theory out when he disposed of her. Klaus walked slowly towards her and said one word.

"Run," Klaus said, touching her face.

"I don't want to play your game, Klaus."

"You remind me of Rebekah, she was like you, before I silenced her."

Caroline gritted her teeth. She couldn't believe Stefan was just going to watch her die. Klaus was so close she thought she could have a chance to bite his but she didn't wish to harm her baby, and so she decided to bate him emotionally instead, glancing at Stefan and hoping his humanity would save her.

"What are you waiting for. Kill me. Kill my baby and be done with it." she urged, fists clenched as Klaus lifted her chin to smirk in her face.

"You really are something aren't you," he muttered, and there was a different look in his eyes. She was unsure what he meant and suddenly Tyler pushed her out of the way, harsher than he intended because she flew into a jutting tree branch which skewed her right through her pregnant belly and out the other side. Stunned, Caroline slowly moved her head to see her body freezing up, she was dying... turning blue... the pain was so bad... worse than her contractions. She coughed, frightened eyes wide, and black dried up tears.

"Niklaus."

"Elijah, this is a surprise."

"We have unfinished business."

Stefan reacted first. Tyler threw him off, attacking him, trying desperately to stop him killing her, without realising he was the danger. Caroline felt herself take a ragged, slow breath - she would be dead in seconds and nobody cared. She would never see Elena, Bonnie or Matt again and her baby wouldn't get the chance to be born. Perhaps this was how it had to be?

"Tyler, if you don't move she is going to die. Do you want that?" Stefan yelled. _He shouldn't care._ He only had seconds before Caroline and the hybrid baby were dead. _He couldn't let her be killed._

"She's dead-" Tyler muttered, staring at Caroline's blue body, and realising what he had lost. He blamed Stefan. Irritated, Stefan took Tyler by the scruff off the shirt and pinned him against the tree. Picking up a branch he staked him, buying some time to then rescue Caroline whose eyes were still, her face black and fingers hanging still. He pulled the branch out of her body, leaving a gaping hole and lay her down on the forest floor, biting his wrist so his blood flooded her mouth.

"You have no idea what you just did to me," Klaus said to Elijah.

"I know that Tyler's important to you and that you won't kill him. I know that you've compelled Stefan and yet he still felt the need to rescue her from death, and I know that you are still the same as ever, Klaus. You always fail to see what is right in front of you."

"And what is that?" Klaus said darkly.

"That no matter how hard you try to make your plans come to life, you are always missing one vital detail. _Love conquers all._ And this is why your plans fail. Why you will never get what you want."

Klaus narrowed his eyes, fury shaking through his limbs, as his older brother challenged him.

"What do you want from me? To kill me? Like I did you?"

"I want you to release Stefan from his compulsion."

Klaus laughed. "You struck a deal, didn't you brother?"

Elijah smiled, "Of course."

Klaus sighed, "Let me guess, Damon Salvatore?"

Elijah nodded again and Klaus' smile faded from his lips as Caroline stirred in Stefan's arms.

Elijah pressed him. "Give back his humanity and let him choose his destiny. Or I'll kill Elena and Tyler and then your heart. Believe me Niklaus when I say, your luck is running out."

Stefan sighed in relief when Caroline's blinked up at him, slightly groggy. He apologised over and over, brushing the blood from her hair, even though it was pretty much stuck there now. He caught sight of Tyler, staring stupidly at them with the bloody stake in his hand.

"Forgive me, for everything," he said, remembering his promise to not let anything happen to her.

Caroline sniffed back tears and wished she wasn't so hormonal.

"How sweet," Klaus said, "Pity really. Goodbye friend," Klaus said.

Elijah picked up something from the floor which Caroline thought was strange and Klaus ripped his teeth into Stefan's neck, biting and sucking and then when it looked like Stefan was to faint, Klaus let go and said with bitterness: "I release you."

It was Caroline's turn to feed him her blood, to save him, as he had saved her. She saw Tyler nearby, but did not say a word, he had come back for her, tried to protect them, only to make things worse.

"Are you happy? Now give me Tyler!" Klaus was yelling at his older brother like a four year old.

Elijah pushed Tyler towards Klaus and grabbed him by the shoulders, swaying back and forth.

"Be a good bloke and kill Elijah for me," he threatened.

"Tyler! No!" Caroline screamed, but all she could do was watch as Tyler turned to his new target leapt through the air only to have Elijah throw three stones at him, like he was skipping them across the pond, only instead they went right through Tyler's flesh injuring him to the point that Klaus grew impatient, picked up his useless hybrid and left.

"Shouldn't you follow him?" Caroline said to Elijah.

Stefan groaned and held his head: his wounds had healed but he looked like hell. Dirt and blood covered his cheeks, and his clothes looked like they hadn't been washed in days. Trust her to think of things that shouldn't matter, she thought.

"No need. Besides I believe you will need my help in a few moments." Elijah stood beside her. He seemed far too calm and she hadn't forgiven him for hurting Tyler. She had too many emotions bottled inside her when it came to her ex-boyfriend. Stefan rolled over onto his side and coughed up blood that had been trapped in the back of his throat.

"How's that?" Caroline asked.

"Because unless I'm much mistaken, in which case I doubt, your water just broke."

Caroline looked down between her legs and saw a puddle of water. _She was going into labour?_

"I HATE YOU TYLER LOCKWOOD!" Caroline bellowed into the mist as she felt her contractions resurface. It was Stefan's hand she took to survive the agonising pain and Elijah's advice she listened to, wishing it had been Elena and Bonnie, while her baby forced its way out of her renewed body.

0o0o

Caroline was sweating, her breaths short and every now and then she felt like strangling herself and the baby just to stop the pain. She had blacked out on a number of occasions only to have Stefan feed her his blood and jolt her awake. She had lied to herself each time she had thought about the birth; she had said it was too far off, she would lose the baby before it happened; she couldn't have it in the first place; it was all a dream; and yet here she was, very undignified, hair in her mouth and legs thrust apart, huffing and screaming with Stefan by her side and Elijah playing nurse.

"I can't do this!" Caroline said, for the hundredth time. Elijah was kneeling in the damp leaves with his sleeves rolled up, encouraging her to push and to keep calm. _Keep calm?_ _Seriously?_

She wanted to scream at him, throw dirt in his face and tell him she was having a freaking hybrid baby as a vampire. She wanted her mother, she wanted her friends. Elijah had his hands where no Original should ever have them, easing out her baby's head. She didn't know what to expect: was the baby going to be human? Would it be half wolf, half vampire? Would it look human and be supernatural? It had been a fantasy when she was human, to start a family and have a life, but those dreams were dashed when Katherine killed her.

The pain was beyond anything she had ever experienced and she hated it. She looked up into Stefan's kind eyes, longing to see them and finally he was there, holding her hand and whispering words of comfort. She could barely understand what he was saying as her ears were blocked and she drew in ragged breaths, gritting her teeth to stop her fangs and instincts from flaring up. Then she understood him. He was saying names, baby names? She had a split second where she could have been furious but then a sharp contraction rippled across her stomach and she couldn't stop her fangs extending, she couldn't stop her face changing nor the need to run. Stefan pushed her down, shouting at her to stop. Elijah was still calm and Caroline wanted to run so badly.

"Push Caroline or you'll die," Elijah said.

Stefan was forcing her into the mud, cradling her face with one hand as her body writhed in pain, sobbing. She felt like the baby was ripping her insides to bits. It felt like she would never walk again. It felt like she was dying. Then a searing burn shot through her body and raged a war with rifles, knives and gunpowder and she couldn't take it.

"Just do as he says," Stefan said.

"I want to die. Kill me Stefan!" Perhaps she should have let Klaus kill her. Then she wouldn't need to push, she wouldn't need to scream, she wouldn't need to do anything anymore. She was exhausted: too tired to breathe. Elijah was still working away and Caroline closed her eyes, ready to let go, ready to give up and then she felt Stefan's lips touch her sweaty forehead in desperation: "Just push, one more push and it will be over. I promise." She did as he said, she pushed until her face grew red and breathed, pushed - breathed, pushed - for what felt like two hours. She was almost at the end of her tether when Stefan shouted for Elijah.

Something had happened but she couldn't feel anything past her waist and she felt Stefan's squeeze her hand. "Does it look normal?" She took another deep breath, ready for her one hundred and fiftieth push but Elijah failed to answer, his sleeves covered in blood. She needed the little thing to leave her body, she was getting weaker, like Elijah had said. She closed her eyes and pushed again and this time, there was a soft POP and Caroline never wanted to hear that sound again.

Elijah smiled to himself and Stefan looked up to see him holding up a normal-looking baby. He cleaned it up nicely by rubbing it with his handkerchief and then covered it so it was nice and warm in his jacket. "Does it have fangs?" Caroline stuttered. It was a strange feeling when Elijah shook his head, poking a thumb over the gums of the crying baby. She lay there silently as Stefan let her feed from his wrist again to heal her wounds.

"How is this possible? Do you know?" Stefan asked Elijah, mystified.

"It's a miracle," was all he said.

Before Caroline had the time to refuse he placed the newborn in her arms and she fell in love with him instantly. Everything was so tiny. Tiny fingers. Tiny feet. Tiny ears. She couldn't help but kiss its tiny nose in a maternal way and was even shocked to find its little blue eyes staring fixatedly back at her. She ignored the numbness that captured her limbs and stared back, entranced. Elijah was watching her strangely, then he stood up, wiping his hands on his damp shirt.

"We need to get them home," Stefan urged as it began to rain.

"If you wish," Elijah said, taking the baby so Stefan could help Caroline stand. "She will need more blood to grow stronger, bed rest and the baby will need to be fed." Elijah said, taking Caroline's arm. "I cannot take them both, you will need to take him."

Stefan lifted the tiny being from Elijah and it started crying as soon as he did this, to reassure Caroline things were fine, he jiggled him up and down, only making things worse. The strange thing was he could feel his little heart beat: smell his blood pumping around his body and he remembered what Caroline had said to him. She told him that love conquered compulsion, but he didn't love her, not like he had loved Elena, or Rebekah. He cared for Caroline like she was a sister, and this love comforted him and kept away his desire for the baby's pure blood, letting him escape the forest and the darkness.

0o0o

Elijah stood staring out of Caroline's bedroom window in silence while she slept, with one eye open, checking every five minutes on Stefan and her son. She was worried that something was going to happen. That Stefan could lose control or that the baby could turn into a monster and kill him. Elijah hadn't spoke since the forest, he lay her down on her bed and cut his own wrist so she could feed on it. It had been a strange occurrence as he offered her his blood and she gently wrapped her mouth over his vein, the hairs on his arm poking her in the nose but she disregarded them, smelling and tasting the blood, feeling the warmth of it dribble down the back of her throat.

"Klaus is going to come back isn't he?" she said feeling a little dizzy from the blood. Elijah took his time before replying.

"He'll want to kill the baby. It's unknown to him. A mother's bond to her child? He never understood love. Of all the years I knew him, he never loved anyone, or trusted anyone. Not even his own brother or sister."

"What should I do?" she asked. Elijah turned to her and smiled.

"Care for him. That's what you must do. Leave Klaus to me."

"What about Tyler?" she asked, he was part of her baby's life too, despite the way he had acted in the past, she had to believe there was some goodness in him. That a part of him was still human.

"Tyler is being compelled. He must not get near you or the baby." Elijah answered and Caroline was taken aback by his tone, but soon he was smiling again and he sat down on the end of her bed and offered her wrist once more. "Klaus will try every tactic he knows to hurt you and to kill this newest threat. You must trust me."

Caroline nodded slowly and fed until Elijah told her to rest and she did as he said. Stefan and Elijah had been there for her. She would just have to trust him. Tyler couldn't have any part in raising her baby and she pushed away her grief and feelings and hid them in a draw in the back of her mind. She slept soundly after that, dreaming of stars, childhood memories and mother groups and when she woke, Stefan was there. The baby asleep in a cot that appeared out of nowhere along with stuffed toys, a tower of nappies, bottles and everything a baby required jammed into every nook and cranny of her room.

"Picked up supplies," Stefan told her. "You're not doing this alone." Caroline thought she might cry and just when she thought her tears would come, Elijah picked up her sleeping son and deposited it into her arms. He snuggled beneath her breast without even noticing and she looked up expectantly at Elijah wondering what to do next.

"He needs to be fed." She wondered what he ate, she didn't have any milk.

"He doesn't like milk. We tried already. He needs blood." Caroline looked around the room once before sighing and biting her wrist, allowing for the blood to dribble down her wrist and into its dozing mouth.

"Not too much!" Stefan warned. He pulled her wrist from the baby's gums and inserted his own. The baby growled and Stefan blinked as if he'd misheard. It's eyes grew yellow and Caroline let out a yelp as her baby who had seemed so perfectly normal, turned into a mini version of his father. Stefan removed his wrist and Elijah said, rather philosophically.

"Only a mother's blood it seems. The mother and baby's bond is especially important. So long as you provide your blood, Caroline, it will survive."

"But this could kill her, if it demands too much." Stefan interrupted. Elijah raised his eyebrows. Stefan realised he didn't like being shouted at. Caroline wiped the blood from her son's round face and it let out two small snores.

"If she doesn't feed it, it will die."

"Maybe that's a good thing," Stefan muttered. Everything they had done so far was to try and keep the baby alive. She couldn't think of him dying as he was now part of her. She needed him, and he needed her.

"He's not going to die," Caroline said. "He's mine. My responsibility."

"I'll walk you out," Elijah said to Stefan as Caroline rested her head, she was still exhausted.

"If you know more than you are telling us, than so help me." Stefan said, as soon as they were outside. Elijah dug his hands into his pockets.

"No Stefan, I do not know anything about hybrid pregnancies or what they fancy - I just know babies, used to be a talent of mine in my past life. And do not threaten me, I did everything I could for Caroline. It is not I, you should be worried about, it is Klaus. He is relentless and shrewd: he will not stop until he finds a way to kill the baby."

Stefan gritted his teeth. "What about the baby? We still don't know what it will do to her."

"He will love her and protect her, Stefan. That's what children do."

"But it's not normal," Stefan pleaded.

Elijah smiled. "Is anything in this crazy world? Nothing will happen tonight. I will care for her."

Caroline woke thinking of what her baby would one day become. She wondered if Bonnie and Elena and Matt were still alive since Klaus' visit and what was Klaus going to do with Tyler? And why did she still care? _He hadn't meant to almost kill her had he?_

0o0o

_"How could you do this to me?!" Tyler bellowed. He was a wreck. "I did what Rebekah told me, I did what you wanted but when it comes to Caroline, you can't kill her! I told you that! I told you not to kill her!"_

_"I'm sorry, but you forfeited that right when you became my experiment. Therefore you follow my orders and you don't get in my way." Klaus had said, standing with his hands behind his back in the Salvatore's boarding house._

_Tyler was fuming. "Do you know what love is?"_

_Klaus smiled as though remembering happier times. "Yes, once, a long time ago, I loved my mother. I suppose that counts?"_

_"Everybody loves their mother. I didn't know you had one. Can't imagine you as a child," Tyler said._

_"I was once. We all were: Elijah, Rebekah and me. It was a long time ago."_

This conversation had already taken place, when Klaus had arrived that morning. He had told him to stay out of his way and Tyler couldn't, not when Caroline was involved. All he could do was think of it over and over again and try to fight Klaus' compulsion - try to keep himself sane - but he still waited for orders, waited for Klaus to say something, something he had to abide to no matter what.

_"Let me remind you Tyler Lockwood, that I am quite disappointed in you already. You have so far, ruined my plan to kill Caroline, brought Elijah here to destroy me and now you are going to do as I say. Kill them all." No! He couldn't. But his feet were moving, too fast and he was standing on the doorstep, ringing the doorbell, hearing footsteps and staring into the eyes of the witch, Bonnie Bennett._

"Who is it?" Elena's voice. Silence.

"What are you doing here?" He felt her magic surround him, choke him and convulse him. He was going to die either way.

"Bonnie don't!" Matt yelled, he was shaking her as flames licked over Tyler's clothes and he yelped in agonising pain. "He's not himself! I know what he did, but it's Tyler. _Please_!"

"He tried to kill us."

"I know, but he didn't mean it. I'm sure he didn't." Matt said, lowing his rifle.

"Fine, but if he makes a move, I will take him down. _No more people are going to die_."

"What is it Tyler?" Matt asked from the doorway as Bonnie lowered her hands, disgruntled and mistrusting. _Run! _Tyler groaned, standing, his skin charred and clothes burnt.

"I'm sorry for what I did to you. I wasn't myself." _Don't believe me! Don't do it or I'll kill you! _

They exchanged looks and Elena appeared, then gasped. Damon and Alaric looked up from where they had been recovering. "What's going on?"

"He wants to come in to apologise," Matt explained.

"Why is he asking, if he wanted to come in he would have." Bonnie warned.

Tyler smiled, but it was not his smile and Matt raised his rifle, uncertain.

"Clever witch. Really it's a wonder you aren't dead yet. You are _annoying_."

"What do you want?" Bonnie snapped.

"This and that, to survive mainly, but also -" Tyler reached in and pulled the gun and Matt from the doorway, he was too quick for Bonnie and she couldn't do anything as he held Matt hostage. He grinned, "Klaus sends you a message. _This is it_." And the real Tyler screamed inside his head, dreading his choices, dreading life, dreading everything.

Tyler tore Matt's heart from his chest and dropped it on the doorstep - in front of Elena and Bonnie's feet: it was still beating and spurting blood. There was commotion and screams and witchcraft and shouting and vomiting, and Klaus watched with a smile. He didn't care for Tyler. He didn't care for anyone. That's how he got through life. That's how he rolled. His only care was to build a hybrid army. He needed Elena's blood, he needed Tyler to be on his side. He needed him to teach his new hybrids how to control themselves and he needed them to protect him. He needed protection more than ever because Elijah was claiming his revenge.

"Who's next?" Tyler grinned, as he watched Matt die beneath his feet. _I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! _The real Tyler screamed and wailed and he couldn't stop it, he just wanted to die. He deserved death. He needed to die.

Elena was screaming, pulling Matt's head into her arms and squeezing him tight, "He's dead! NO! NO!" She was stunned as Damon ran out to pull her up and leave the dead boy behind. Alaric had slumped in the corner, unable to believe it and Bonnie: Bonnie was furious, tears streaming down her face, she had let her magic run through her veins and the spells she was sending at Tyler nobody knew, but it was torturing him grotesquely.

"Stop!" Stefan lunged himself at Bonnie, knocking her aside so the torturing stopped. He held her hands to her chest. Alaric gaped at the sight of him. Klaus watched his old friend interfere from his hiding spot. The witch was a nuisance. She had escaped him too many times, but he still needed Tyler and what she had done to him was punishment enough for disobeying his orders. Klaus sped in, picked up his broken hybrid and left. Stefan looked up to find the entire room in shock and Bonnie shaking with rage beneath him.

0o0o

Damon stood beside Elena staring at Matt's lifeless body on the rug by the fireplace. Bonnie knelt beside Matt, muttering spells, and frantically tearing at the pages of the _grimoire_ to find something that could fix him. Elena was a mess, crying into her hands while Alaric sat beside her on the couch, murmuring that he was sorry. Finally, Stefan thought he should just start talking.

"Elijah made Klaus stop his compulsion." He explained Klaus' plan to kill Caroline and what had happened afterwards, how Tyler had accidently killed her, leaving him only minutes to save her, how Elijah tried to make a deal with Klaus, only to have Klaus betray him and compel Tyler and then disappear. How Caroline went into labour and Elijah became nurse. How Caroline almost didn't make it and he had to feed her his blood. That now, she and the baby were ok, but it had hybrid abilities and they are unsure of its other abilities. That they all needed to trust each other and help her through it. That everything he had done in the past, was because Klaus had made him, and that they had to hide Caroline from Klaus. "I'm sorry, for everything I've done in the past."

He turned to Elena, hoping for forgiveness but knowing she couldn't give it to him straight away. Elena nodded and he didn't ask for anything else. How could he? Instead he turned to his brother, who had on most occasions tried to kill him but despite their opposites Damon had also tried everything possible to save him, to protect Elena, and to do the right thing. "I'm sorry."

Damon walked slowly up too Stefan and held out his hand. Unsure, Stefan shook it and Damon pulled him into a tight hug. "Brother." He acknowledged and Elena watched, wiping her eyes on her sleeves and whispered, "Jeremy."

He nodded, "I'll fill him in and try to keep him at home. Damon - if you need me, you only need to ask."

Damon gave a curt nod. "We'll have to bury him. Elena, Bonnie - there's nothing more we can do. Vampire-Barbie needs your help and Stefan and I have some catching up to do." Elena went to Bonnie and picked her up, she was exhausted and didn't want to leave. Matt was dead. Just like his sister. He hadn't deserved any of it. He had been brave. Braver than them all and he was dead now. And she couldn't fix it.

"It was Klaus. Klaus compelled Tyler to do that," Elena said, pulling Bonnie to her feet. "It was his fault." Bonnie leaned on her friend and gave Stefan a look, there was no need to say anything. Stefan understood. She was grateful for him interrupting her because she had lost control.

"So what did I miss?" Stefan asked as Damon filled him in, neglecting to mention one tiny detail.

"Care for a drink?" Damon asked, handing him what was left in the flask.

"I think after all this, I'll have two," Stefan grinned and Damon's eyes sparkled.

**A/N: Please review.**


	5. Elijah's Story

**A/N: Aw... I love you guys. Thanks for leaving reviews and feedback! If I owned TVD, Caroline and Klaus would be the hottest couple ever and Delena would have hooked up already. Also I'm tweaking a few facts from the show to suit the plot of my story. **

**Elijah's story**

**5**

Elijah heard her footsteps as soon as she entered Caroline's house. He turned to see Katherine in the doorway of Caroline's bedroom, where he sat on the window seat eating a ham sandwich. "I was wondering when you'd come." She was surprised to see Caroline asleep nursing a baby. She seemed to be behind on the times. She wondered how Caroline procured a baby and what Elijah intended to do with it.

"Whose baby?" Katherine asked first, with feigned interest.

"Caroline and Tyler's." Elijah stated "It's a hybrid. And no I don't know how."

"So Originals aren't ominous after all." Katherine stated curiously. "Tsk Tsk. I bet you're eager to find out why." She froze when Elijah suddenly pulled her into him and her expression turned to fear.

"Klaus can't know I'm here," she hissed while Elijah's fingers bruised her veins. She cringed in pain as he pushed harder until her wrists began to bleed. She gasped, her face inches from his.

"I request, you come. _You owe me_." His lips brushed along her cold cheeks. She could feel her blood oozing around his fingers and she gasped as his lips met hers in a passionate kiss that took her by surprise. Elijah smirked, "Klaus really was jealous of what we had, wasn't he?"

"We had nothing. It was a lie." She had trusted Elijah with her life. He befriended her, courted her, he hid her from Klaus but would hurt her, use her, play with her and treat her like a toy. She remembered the pain he put her through, but she had yet to repay her debt.

"Have you got it?" Elijah said, releasing her. Katherine watched as her wrists healed slowly and she revealed Rebekah's necklace, coiled in her fist. He snatched it from her obsessively and she was left to wonder why it was so important.

"Am I done?" she said when Elijah didn't answer. "Elijah?" Katherine asked. Elijah smiled, a very unsettling smile that made Katherine nervous. He was remembering the necklace's creation, worn by the Original Witch when he was a child. He recalled Klaus' first painful transformation and how it made him feel. He had heard Katherine and didn't need her any longer.

"You may leave," he ordered and knew when he looked up that she would have fled. "Oh Niklaus, how wrong you were about me," and he stared at the necklace eagerly.

0o0o

"So where's Rebekah?" Stefan asked after Damon had filled him in. He was sure she would be pretty annoyed at him for leaving her behind, but the house seemed oddly quiet.

"Upstairs." Damon muttered.

"She's being pretty quiet. What did you do to her?" Stefan joked.

Damon smirked and Stefan's smile faltered, "Well," And Damon scrunched up his nose, "There might have been a tiny problem with that." And he put down his glass so that Stefan couldn't break it when he lost control. When Stefan only watched, he continued, "We had to keep her in the dark, best way to do that was to kill her: we freed Elijah and she's in the bathtub."

"What?!" Stefan yelled, "You just left her there!" And Stefan ran up the stairs to find her. Damon wasn't going to follow. He called up his apology: "I'm sorry, we had little time and it's not like her body's in any danger - it might be a bit wet, that's all." He chuckled and waited for Stefan's surprised yell.

"She might be a pain in the ass, Damon, but she's an Original. What if Elijah found out?" Came his reply and Damon rolled his eyes. "Oh, Tyler already told him before we tried to kill him."

Stefan entered his room and thrashed the curtains to the shower aside to see Rebekah's naked body, cold and grey with the dagger they used to kill Elijah fixed firmly in her chest. Stefan had seen her like that before, when Klaus resurrected her and reminded him of their friendship when he was the Chicago Ripper. He had lusted after then and she had enjoyed the attention.

"What are you doing up there, Stefan?" Damon sang.

Stefan drew a finger over her cheek and felt a slight pang in his chest as he realised he hadn't been there to protect her. They had slept together after years of being apart and he hadn't regretted it. He had fallen for her in the 1920s but this time it wasn't lust, he loved her and as his fingers curled around the blade, he hoped she would understand how much he needed her.

"Stefan?" Damon called and Stefan could hear his feet slapping against the wooden floor but he ignored him. The blade clattered on the tiles and when Rebekah's eyelids fluttered he swooped in and kissed her soft lips, knowing what he had wanted to say since Klaus had asked him to leave: what he had refused to say at the time because it had been a game, but now things had changed.

She stared at him, her hand pressing down on her heart and seeing blood soaked through the bed sheets and she realised this was the second time she'd been stabbed by somebody she thought she could trust. "What the bloody hell happened?" She asked, staring up into his kind face.

"Damon killed you."

Rebekah shook her head. "No, he wasn't there, it was another person. I didn't see who." She screwed up her face, trying to remember and Stefan guessed who the other person was: Alaric.

"It doesn't matter now. They made a mistake."

Rebekah raised her eyebrows, sitting up. "Why are you protecting them?" And she took his head in her hands, studying him closely. Stefan smirked and kissed her and she moaned against his lips, forgetting the feeling that there was something odd about him. "I love you," he grinned and Rebekah knew something was different.

"_Stefan_," Damon said when he found him helping her out of the bath.

"Why did you kill me?!" She demanded, pushing Damon against the wall irritated. Damon was glad her hand hadn't touched his heart, he'd been bruised too many times already. He sighed and opted for the truth, she'd find out eventually: "We released Elijah and didn't want you to get in the way of us killing Tyler."

"So he killed you, or asked Alaric to kill you." Stefan added, getting a nod from Damon. He'd missed a lot since he'd been compelled. Rebekah's body language and tone changed suddenly and she let Damon go. "Elijah's free?" she gasped.

Damon continued: "Yes, we needed him to stop Stefan from being compelled by Klaus." Rebekah turned to Stefan upset and tilted her head as though she had really seen him for the first time. Stefan felt a twinge of guilt when he realised she hadn't known that he was being compelled. He saw tears well up in her eyes and realised the night they slept together, it was his alter-ego taking charge. She probably thought Klaus had compelled him to do it. Stefan held onto her arm and tried to explain but Damon was still telling her what had happened and she listened, getting more and more agitated. "He held up his side of the deal and we gave him Klaus." Damon added, not sure why this news was making the effect it did on her. Stefan seemed confused when Rebekah failed to talk. He held her by the shoulders. "What is it?" She was shaking.

"Elijah?" She whispered, her voice was barely audible.

Damon continued: "Klaus compelled Tyler. Tyler is the father of Caroline's hybrid baby and we think Klaus is going to kill them both."

"Klaus?" And Rebekah said his name as though she regretted something and Stefan and Damon exchanged confused expressions as though they should submit her to a psych ward.

"Rebekah are you ok?" Stefan asked, making her look at him. She shook her head, heavy tears falling from her eyes and she buried her head beneath his chest and knowing that she couldn't run from the truth.

0o0o

_It was this memory that Rebekah held close to her heart of her two brothers and their strange rivalry. They had only been children then, before they were forced to become Vampires._

_[FLASHBACK]_

_"Thank you, mother," Niklaus said receiving a bowl of broth. She was proud of him, he'd killed a boar and brought it back to feed the entire family. He was a good hunter, her son. He liked adventure and he was cunning. He would be a great leader some day. Their mother kissed the top of his forehead gratefully. Elijah stood in the doorway and Niklaus gave him smile. Elijah expected the same amount of devotion, only to receive none. "Why don't you be more like your brother, Elijah?" Their mother snapped, tripping over his feet. Niklaus pulled his brother to sit down next to him and shared his bowl of broth while their mother dressed Rebekah impatiently and left them to play._

[THE PRESENT]

"Ah, what was _that_!?" Damon demanded as Stefan lay a traumatised Rebekah on the lounge carefully. She had fallen asleep suddenly and he was worried for her. He'd never seen her so distraught and wondered what the cause was.

"I don't know, but if you don't mind, I'd prefer it if you treated Rebekah with a bit more respect, considering I love her and all." Stefan said, giving him that look he'd seen a million times before, only it had been with Elena not Rebekah. Damon nodded, it had been a long time since he'd heard Stefan trust him enough to talk about his feelings. He would never admit it but he was grateful to Elijah and he was happy to have his little brother back.

"So if you love her, what are you going to tell Elena?" he asked with raised eyebrows.

"I haven't figured that out yet." Stefan said darkly, and Damon wondered when the time would be right for Stefan to accept that he had feelings for her too.

0o0o

_Things only grew more complex between them and neither expected the worse from the other. They were best friends: family. Nothing could tear them apart._

_[FLASHBACK]_

_"Elijah!" Rebekah called from behind the hut, looking for her brother was harder than she thought. She had searched for what felt like hours and to the extent that her feet were hurting on the hard earth and the scorching sun was burning her skin. "Nik!" She called, she'd had an even harder time finding her other brother and it had only been because he had given himself up that she found him and he had run over to the creek, playing with his sword. Rebekah would have loved to follow him. She always had so much fun with Niklaus, but she couldn't leave Elijah behind and she wanted to know where he was. It must be a very good hiding spot, she thought._

_Rebekah was resigned to give up and she called out to Elijah once more. "Where are you, brother?" There were footsteps and Niklaus appeared by her side, he put a hand on her shoulder and grinned down on her. "I bet I know where he's hiding." And Rebekah followed Niklaus into the next hut - the witches hut. She clung to her brother's clothes frightened. They weren't meant to be in there. The witch would punish them if they were caught. "Elijah! I can smell you." And he chuckled. Rebekah sniffed the air, but could only smell salts, rosemary and charcoal. _

_Elijah laughed and crawled out from beneath a table and Rebekah gleefully pulled at him while Niklaus looked impressed. "We better not be caught here," he said, pulling Rebekah by the elbow. He glanced around the witch's hut eyeing the instruments and organic ingredients curiously. There was something glinting at them from the window and Niklaus tore his gaze from it when Elijah barrelled out the door proposing they cool off in the river. Rebekah had seen her brother's curious features when he stared at the glinting object and she hurried over to see what it was. She saw it was a necklace, a beautiful one and before she could look at it more closely she heard Elijah calling her name and followed after them, laughing and cheering._

[THE PRESENT]

Caroline opened her eyes to see Elena and Bonnie watching her sadly. Elena was crying and Bonnie comforting her. "Who died?" she joked, and she spread her arms out to show that she was fine, just fine. Elena bit her lip and Caroline's smile faltered as she realised that she had said something wrong. She sat up quickly and demanded to know what had happened. Did it have to do with Klaus? Or Tyler? Had he done something to them?

"Matt's dead," Elena mumbled.

"No."

"I'm sorry," Elena said, tilting her head to the side and reaching out to take Caroline's hand. She knew it must be hard to hear, it was hard to say, to watch his body fall to the ground and Tyler's face when he had done it.

"I don't believe you."

"It's true," Bonnie said and she explained what happened, at the end, Caroline was furious. _Tyler killed Matt_. She felt sick. She felt like she couldn't breathe. _Klaus had compelled him?_ First his stupid Hybrid army, ruining Tyler's life and now hers! She wanted to destroy him. She was sick of bed rest, she needed to find Klaus and make him pay. In her rage to get dressed and fly out of the house searching for him, she heard a baby's cry and she turned swiftly to see Bonnie and Elena frozen to the spot, staring at the cot that contained her son.

"Can we meet him?" Elena asked, wiping her eyes on the back of her sleeve. Bonnie kept her distance, unsure. She picked him up, it was time to feed again. She warned them first.

"Guys, don't freak out." Caroline showed how he fed. Of course Bonnie disagreed from the start. Elena was at a loss for words and Caroline convinced one of them at least that, that was what she had to do, what Elijah had told her was the only way to keep her son alive.

"He only drinks my blood." She went on to tell them about the birth and who had been there and what happened to Stefan and she pleaded for Elena to trust him again. _Hadn't she wanted this forever? For him to come back? _

"Can I hold him?" Elena asked and Caroline supposed it would be alright, and as her son's touched Elena's skin its eyes grew gold and Elena gasped, flinging it back into Caroline's arms with a shout and falling off the bed.

"_Bonnie_," Caroline pleaded as her friend, pulled Elena behind her quickly. "_Please."_

Bonnie sighed and reached out to press one dark finger on his pudgy little arm. Bonnie felt a jolt of electricity bite her and she pulled back - she witnessed Klaus nursing the baby, it seemed normal: it was laughing. Klaus then took Caroline's hand and smiled and then his head snapped over to where she had been watching them and Bonnie broke the connection.

"What did you see?" Caroline urged. Bonnie didn't want to worry her, but she didn't want to lie either.

"I saw, you and Klaus, together with the baby." There was stunned silence and Elena and Bonnie sat down on the bed, anxious to talk about what it all meant, and even after several hours they still had no answers. Bonnie was resigned to go over the _grimoire_ and see if the witches of her past knew anything about the hybrid.

0o0o

_When their Mother proposed she had a way to let her family survive the famine, the droughts and the __Dupuytren's disease that swept through their valley__they had not expected it to be dark magic. Their Father did as their mother, the first witch, told him had to happen in order to save themselves: half their village was already dead, and in turn: first Klaus, then Elijah and lastly Rebekah; he ran them through with a sword until they died a slow agonising death until their mother cast a spell on them acting to save their lives but in fact cursing their entire family with the need to feed on human blood: unable to walk during the day and becoming immortal. The three siblings had gone through the worst, or so they thought._

_[FLASHBACK]_

_"It wasn't me!" Niklaus roared as their mother furiously pulled him up by the scruff of the neck and ordered him to tell the truth. Rebekah lay beside Elijah too frightened to move, she watched Niklaus thrown from the hut. She had never seen her mother so angry. It frightened her. _

_Her father had left the clan to defend the village, like most of the men, only the boys were left in charge: told to look after their mothers and sisters. Niklaus landed with a squelch into the ankle-deep mud and looked up in horror as their mother bore down on him. "I don't know how it got there! I never touched it!" He cowered beneath her raised hand. There was a crowd studying him closely, judging and muttering darkly. "I swear!" he yelled, and when Rebekah crawled out on her hands and knees to see him, she could see he was crying. Her brother: the one she looked up to was crying._

_"Gloria found the necklace beneath your bed." _

_"I don't know how it got there!" Niklaus stated, his arms above his head and there were jeers from the crowd, those who had survived the darkness. He looked straight at Rebekah, pleading for help and she tried to go to him, but she was pulled back by Elijah. "Don't Bekah. It's not your place. Mother needs to punish him for stealing the necklace."_

_"But he wouldn't." Rebekah couldn't believe it. Besides, she had seen it last. Why would he go back and get it? Why would he want a necklace? What use would it? Elijah shook his head, not knowing and Rebekah became more confused than ever._

_"It was beneath his bed, Bekah." Elijah hinted and she still shook her head, gasping each time her mother brought Niklaus to his feet just to reprimand him. _

_"You must be punished." Their mother stated and Klaus looked up in horror._

_"It wasn't me!" She raised her hands and started a mantra and he shook his head frantically, trying to crawl away but Gloria dragged him back through the mud as he kicked and shouted and Rebekah watched terrified, wanting it to stop. She knew it was wrong. Niklaus' body went still and their mother screeched, pointing to the moon and jabbing her finger at Klaus. Rebekah screamed as her brother's bones started cracking and he writhed in pain, his eyes changed colour, his vampire fangs snapped through his gums and shaggy grey hair started sprouting through his skin._

_"What's happening? NO, make it STOP!" Rebekah screamed. Elijah held her tightly in his arms. "We can't do anything. Mother's spell might hit us too."_

_"But he didn't do anything!"_

_"We can't interfere. It will be ok." Elijah said and Rebekah couldn't turn away, she just watched helplessly as Niklaus changed, he was turning into a wolf and she never thought it possible. She stared at her mother wondering how she could do this to her own son._

_"I am very disappointed in you, Niklaus." And their mother stared at the whimpering wolf with disgust. "You are never to set foot here again. Leave now. The Hybrid curse will remind you of your lies and treachery and each time you change you will remember the importance of the Original clan."_

_When all grew still and the crowd left, it was Rebekah who first ran to his side, sliding though the mud and getting her dress dirty. She pressed his chest softly, he was now Niklaus but she knew he wouldn't be the same again. Elijah helped him up and she was sure she saw a gleeful smile spread across his features, but then he looked sorrowful and they all stood there; their arms protecting him from the angry jeers and promising that things were going to be ok._

**A/N: Tried to make the flashbacks clearer. Please review.**


	6. The Hybrid Curse

**A/N: Thanks for leaving reviews and feedback! If I owned TVD: Tyler and Jeremy would have hooked up. Please R&R. **

**The Hybrid Curse**

**6**

[THE PRESENT]

It was a full moon and Klaus had Tyler chain him to the underground cellar of the Lockwood's property. He needed Rebekah, she was the only one who understood his transformation, who helped him with encouraging words and promises that he'd be alright by the end of it all. He wondered where she had got to.

Tyler was in the shadows, swaying to his own music as he fed on some girl.

"You know who you remind me of?" Klaus mused making him look up, covered in blood. He raised his eyebrows and Klaus was reminded of Stefan, when he had recruited him in Chicago: he had needed a friend then, not a sister, especially when it included Elijah. Klaus' bones cracked and he rolled his eyes lazily. "By the way Tyler, you might like to release her before I tear off her limbs."

The last time Rebekah had disappeared was in Chicago and it took almost a century to find out where she went. Tyler was still under Klaus' orders, so he had to obey. Klaus watched him compel her to forget everything and go home and Klaus grinned, realising his transformation would take away the pain, anger and fear and all that would be left, was the wolf.

_[FLASHBACK]_

_Over the years Rebekah remembered snippets of these ancient memories. She and Elijah grew up with Niklaus, leaving their home behind them and becoming their own little family. Elijah was always the moral one, keeping a protective eye over them both and teaching them languages he'd read about in books. Niklaus, despite his curse, was still adventures, wanting to travel around the world to amuse himself. Elijah's interest: literature, Niklaus in exploring and herself? In love. It was Elijah who decided he wished to travel alone and that she would have to choose who to be with._

_Niklaus promised he'd care for her, but Elijah said he was too dangerous to be around and he needed to control himself before she could think about staying with him. Their disagreement cost her Elijah, and he left them for half a century. Rebekah saw up close what Niklaus' curse did to him: it changed him from the confident, and kind man into a violent fiend. Each full moon he would transform, and each night he would lock her up: forbidden to find him until sunrise. She heard his screaming victims and when she could go to him she found him cowering on the forest floor and soon she witnessed one by one, the dead bodies of her clan. _

[THE PRESENT]

Bonnie was sitting surrounded by spell books, desperately searching for something, _anything_ to help Caroline. What she had envisioned when she had touched Caroline's baby scared her. What did Klaus want with the baby? What powers did it have and why could only Caroline or Klaus touch him without getting hurt? Getting frustrated with herself and the _grimoire_ which had told her nothing in the first two hundred pages, she yelled, "What does it mean!" throwing it at the wall with a thump.

"I'm pretty sure that's not going to help." Jeremy was smiling awkwardly at her. He had cheated on her with his dead-vampire-girlfriend-ghost, Anna and she had avoided him for weeks. All the times she had screamed at the wall, so angry, confused, mad - and now he was there, in her room and she had nothing to say?

"What are you looking for anyway?" He said coming closer.

Here was her chance to tell him it was none of his business, to be mean, to tell him that he didn't deserve to know. He didn't care - if he had he wouldn't have cheated on her!

"What are you doing here?" Bonnie said.

Jeremy hesitated. "I needed to see you. I'm so sorry, Bonnie."

"We're not together anymore Jeremy." It sounded worse than she intended.

"I know. I didn't know where else to go after hearing about Matt." She stomped over to pick up the _grimoire. _She paused at the sketch on the open page, distracted.

"What is it?" Jeremy asked. He had to do something to take his mind off what was happening to them. She spun around, falling on her knees to study the grimoire's pages. Jeremy peered over her shoulder to read:

THE HYBRID: PART WEREWOLF / PART VAMPIRE

FIRST KNOWN CREATION: 1035 

SUSPECTED NAME: NIKLAUS

QUALITIES: TURNS EACH FULL MOON. FEEDS ON HUMAN BLOOD/VAMPIRES. CAN WALK DURING DAY AND NIGHT. DANGEROUS. POWERFUL. IMMORTAL.

Bonnie raced around the room, collecting herbs and a pestle and mortar and started bashing away at it. Jeremy didn't want to interrupt her. He figured since she hadn't chucked him out, he was allowed to watch and he read over the puzzling line that had caused her to create such a frenzy.

SUN & MOON CURSE can only be undone using the blood of his creator mixed with that of the doppelganger and the undoing of Esther's talisman.

"I need some candles." Bonnie ordered, and Jeremy stared about the room stupidly. She pointed to a draw near him and he hurried to obey. He placed them in a circle like she instructed, wondering what she was doing and she smiled more to herself than him. "We're going to call upon Esther for help."

0o0o

_[FLASHBACK]_

_It wasn't long before Elijah returned. Rebekah felt relieved that he had missed them. Elijah and Niklaus weren't the same since Elijah had left, but Rebekah tried to keep the peace between them. It was the three of them against the world. "I think I know of a place we can go without having to worry about being discovered." Elijah told them and of course, they trusted him, following him to countries they never knew existed, until they reached the shores of England and a new way of life. It was here that they Niklaus and Elijah spent most of their time, trying to find a way to break their mother's curse. Rebekah slowly grew tired of their bickering and decided she'd take some time to herself. Both her brothers seemed to dislike the idea but she managed to talk them out of it. Rebekah left England for France. She bought a large apartment, had several love affairs and toured the country. About another half century after leaving them behind, Elijah found her and said Niklaus needed her help. This was when Rebekah learned about the doppelganger: Katerina._

_When Rebekah returned to England, Niklaus had changed. He'd become obsessive in his need to destroy the curse and he was harder on himself than ever. She realised that the harder he tried to destroy it, the harder it was to break. Somehow things fell apart: people disappeared, witches died and Klaus wanted Katerina, to love or to use, she wasn't sure, but she could see how her brothers felt enchanted by her._

[THE PRESENT]

Stefan had come back, but not to her. And Elena was stupid to want him back, to think that they could carry on where they left off. They were two different people now. _Matt was dead._ The house was empty. Alaric and Jeremy were out. _Why him? Why Matt._ He'd done nothing to Klaus. _Nothing_.

"Klaus sends a message," Elena repeated what Tyler had said, despite how painful the memory was.

Klaus was using Tyler now he'd released Stefan, that was the only explanation. Tyler wouldn't do these things. She had to believe there was a way to stop Klaus. She threw her lamp to the floor in disgust, just thinking of Klaus made her go crazy. Both Jenna and Matt's faces appeared to her.

She picked up her alarm clock and threw it out the window, smashing the glass in an attempt to ease her pain. "Elena!" Damon pulled her into him. "Stop!" She stopped thrashing, too exhausted to move, she cried into his shirt, unable to pretend she wasn't terrified of Klaus killing her friends one by one. "I know." He held her up, as she breathed in his aftershave and bourbon. Damon lifted her chin to study her bloodshot eyes: she was a mess inside and out but he loved her. "We'll find a way to stop him." His palms caressed her cheeks and she knew that despite what she was feeling, she would always have Damon to protect her. She was lying to only think what she and Damon had, was only friendship.

_[FLASHBACK]_

_Elijah was always around Katerina. Rebekah watched in silence as certain clues gave him away. His midnight strolls. His many disappearances. Her blushing cheeks whenever he came close and at parties, Elijah was the first to ask for her hand. Klaus was soon confiding in his sister, frustrated that Elijah was getting in the way. He was paranoid that he was meddling, leaving her to worry about its meaning. "He's just being accommodating." She would explain. "He's just keeping up appearances." She felt Elijah was prolonging the sacrifice that must happen in order to cure Niklaus and she found it strange that after everything they had been through he would do this: what reason did he have to hurt his brother?_

_When Katerina escaped from Elijah, Niklaus was furious and he went straight to confront him. "You're in love with her!" He accused. "Where did you hide her!"_

_"I didn't hide her. I brought her to you. It must have been that new boy, Trevor. He must have helped her escape." Niklaus punched the wall in frustration while Elijah fixed up his collar. Rebekah watched unhappily. Her brothers were not close anymore: neither trusted the other and she was finding it hard to confide in either of them. They didn't stay in England long after that. Moving themselves to America, Elijah disappeared to Seattle and Niklaus took Rebekah to Chicago to live the high life, forgetting about his failed attempt to change his life and becoming the man he always wanted to be: a millionaire. He bought her clothes, jewellery and men. Rebekah enjoyed her new life and rarely thought about Elijah. Perhaps it was better now to have both brothers separated?_

_When Niklaus introduced her to his new "brother" his eyes twinkled and she turned to meet Stefan Salvatore, a young vampire. She could smell his desires, his lust for her and she held out her hand ready for the challenge. "Don't be too hard on him, sister." Niklaus grinned into her ear. Stefan Salvatore had been the love of her life, but she had never told anyone that, not even Niklaus. _

[THE PRESENT]

"_ Hush, my little baby, don't say a word.  
>Mama's gonna buy you an awesome Ford,<em>

_And if that awesome Ford gets broke, _

_mama's gonna buy you a giant fork,_

_and if that giant fork gets lost,_

_mama's gonna buy you ..."_

Caroline had given up, she couldn't remember the words to the lullaby her mother used to sing her. Her version sounded like a drunken ballad. Her son hadn't stopped crying and she knew he wasn't hungry because he had taken her wrist so eagerly that she felt bad when she had to stop him. She heard a distant howl on the horizon and left her baby on the covers of the bed. Slamming the bedroom window, she saw the full moon glistening in the sky above.

_Would her baby turn?_

The howling was getting louder and Caroline drew the curtains shut, switched off the lights and picked him up. She hadn't even thought about naming him. _What kind of mother didn't name her child?_ Caroline shot through the house, carrying him, locking every exit, she didn't know what to expect but she had a bad feeling. Her son grew quiet and she knew he had also heard the scratching at the window. _Was she Klaus' next victim?_

Footsteps stopped outside her doorway. "Give him to me," Elijah said.

"They're coming for me aren't they?" Caroline didn't move.

"Yes," he said. He reached for her baby and she was unsure of why she was stalling.

Glass shattered in all directions. She screamed.

The giant grey wolf had leapt through the window. It separated Elijah from her and she was surprised to hear tiny growls coming from her son. Confused she heard another wolf howling in the night. Elijah had taken another step forward and the wolf leapt up and bit his arm, shaking it between his teeth. His yellow eyes glinted in the shadows. Instinct took over and she ran fast through the forest, hoping to avoid the other wolf. Then when she believed she might be safe, she kissed her son's head and said: "Matthew Forbes, I love you."

0o0o

_[FLASHBACK]_

_It was a cold, snowy Chicago evening when Rebekah stood waiting for Niklaus to meet her at their favourite bar. She was drinking champagne when she heard footsteps behind her. _

_"Sister!" Elijah kissed her cheek civilly."Where is Niklaus?" he asked, looking around the room. Rebekah wondered whether he actually cared. He'd been gone so long and hadn't kept in touch at all. "You look well, sister." He seemed far too happy than he should have been._

_"As do you. Nik should be here soon," she said, taking another sip and wondering what news he had. She poured him a glass of champagne. Elijah tapped the bar with his fingers, a new habit he must have picked up. She was still angry at him for leaving._

_"I've had time to think and I think it is time for us to move on with our lives." He took Rebekah's hand in his. She asked what he meant, swirling her champagne in her glass. _

_Elijah smiled. "I'm proposing that you come with me," he said._

_"And leave Nik? Why? Have you done something stupid?"_

_"I think everything I've done so far was to protect you." _

_Rebekah stared at him. "I don't understand."_

_"I need you now. Klaus doesn't." Elijah was never forceful or manipulative. _

_She didn't want to leave. "I have a life here." _

_Elijah barked a sharp derisive laugh. "Really? You do realise you belong to Klaus, that you are his property." _

_Rebekah put down her champagne glass._

_"How dare you! Do you have any idea what it has been like? You left us! You can't just turn up out of the blue and demand I leave. Niklaus has been a better brother to me than you ever were!" She yelled, jabbing him in the chest. Her eyes had glazed over and her fangs visible - it happened whenever she lost her temper. Elijah grabbed her by the arms and pushed her back into the bar. _

_"Why are you doing this?" She breathed, upset._

_"Because," he gritted his teeth, "It was always Klaus over me. He's not even blood and she chose him over me." Those angry words sank into Rebekah's very skin and goosebumps spread across her skin._

_"Klaus is our brother." And as Rebekah mentioned his name, she saw its effect on Elijah. He sneered. "You were jealous." Every memory, every thought - each action since their being together - and she understood what had happened. "You took the necklace. You did this to him."_

_"He deserved it." Elijah hissed. "I knew when he tried to break the curse that I had to stop him from finding a way. I almost lost hope when it came to Katerina but she became my spy. It really is much easier to get to people when you threaten them. Niklaus understands that now."_

_Rebekah couldn't believe her ears. ""Nik loved her!"_

_Elijah laughed, "Niklaus doesn't know the meaning of love. Now come." Elijah yanked her arm._

_"I'm not leaving Nik! Get away from me!" she yelled, pushing him frantically, knocking her champagne over in her haste. She had to find Nik._

_"I had a feeling you would say that," he said. _

_Before Rebekah could move another step, Elijah had run her through with a dagger and lowered her to the floor, dead._

0o0o

[THE PRESENT]

"Get out of my way, boy." Elijah didn't have any patience left. He felt the necklace thump against his chest. The wolf was trying to take revenge. He kicked out his foot and Tyler Lockwood, who had been so strong, so brave, crashed into Caroline's desk of drawers. Elijah picked him up by the scruff of the neck and threw him out the window. "Your kind disgusts me. Dog!"

Tyler rolled over, bruised and broken. His wolf body wasn't enough against an Original. Elijah crushed his legs beneath his polished shoes. "This is my message to you, Klaus. Our feud is not over. Come save your "brother", your "friend" or watch him die a horrible death."

Tyler's howls screeched through the darkness as Elijah broke every leg. Klaus heard his message. He felt Tyler's anguish. Anger convulsed him and he sprinted to the spot where Elijah stood, seeing the sun's rays poking through the trees. Klaus stood on the edge of the clearing, his eyes hovered on Tyler's grotesque body and he felt a pang of guilt. He had liked him, he had reminded him of Stefan, of himself, when he had switched off his humanity. He had known for some time that it was Elijah who had caused him to hate everything about himself.

"Why did you kill him?" he whispered. Elijah flipped Tyler onto his side so that he screeched in pain. "He's not dead," he smirked.

"Why put me through this curse? This life? When you could have killed me?" Klaus said in disgust.

"It was fun watching you suffer and fail through the centuries. One day I will kill you, but not today."

Klaus growled. "Don't be stupid brother. It is I, who will murder you, when you least expect, I will run that dagger right through you it won't come out." Tyler was still writhing beneath them. "Where's Rebekah? Or did you kill her like you did before?"

"Congratulations in resurrecting her, what? Ninety years later? I was surprised you found her since you were so self-absorbed."

"What is it you want?" Klaus said, sick of the back and forth jabs.

"I want the Hybrid baby. Tyler stopped me from taking it."

Tyler made a noise. "He's my son!"

"What right do you have to keep that thing alive? It would be better off dead," Klaus grunted.

"Because it is a threat to you. I also know that the Hybrid baby is very different from the adult. In fact, it has very strange qualities. Would you like to hear them?" Elijah continued anyway: "It mimics its father, it doesn't transform until it reaches puberty and it feeds off only its mothers blood. I also discovered that the baby's blood is very special." And Elijah pulled Tyler up onto his broken feet. "It turns out the Hybrid baby's blood can kill an Original. Don't you find that incredible?" He dropped Tyler and soaked him in gasoline. He lit a match, and flicked it so it dance through the air and ignited Tyler's wet clothes. Klaus lunged at Elijah, knocking him from his feet. Tyler knew he was on the verge of death. The Original Brothers wrested above him and he was too weak to move. It was warm, too warm and he felt his hair, his flesh, everything, burning.

"No!" Caroline frantically batted the fire that was eating away at Tyler and he snatched her hand.

"Leave me!" She saw Elijah and Klaus at each other's throats and Tyler touched his son's cheek, apologetically, then with the last of his strength said, "Don't trust Elijah. Now, Run!"

Caroline didn't understand. _Why would he say that?_ Matthew pointed at Elijah who appeared in front of them. Elijah didn't ask this time, he snatched him and as if in self defence Matthew growled. Klaus felt something: a strong pull towards Caroline, like he cared for her, like he had to protect her. He saw Tyler react, jabbing a branch into his brother's leg to cause a distraction and Caroline snatched her son back and ran. Elijah ripped the stick from his leg and speared Tyler through the heart, the flames devouring the leaves of the branch in seconds.

Caroline felt herself sobbing quietly_. She didn't even know where to run to? Where would she be safe? She couldn't go home?_ She knew if she looked back she'd break down, so she focussed on keeping Mathew safe and she failed to notice Klaus running beside her, protecting her from Elijah's attempts to steal her baby, and she followed his instructions thinking they were her own.

Elijah stepped over Tyler's body, his leg had healed instantly but he had let Caroline run: letting her think she had a chance to escape him. Elijah's need for Caroline's blood filled his nostrils and he smelt her as soon as his eyes shut. _The baby's blood was poisonous to Originals._ He could also smell Klaus protecting her like the fool he was. But _he_ did not run. He reached out, intending to bite Caroline's neck but Klaus blocked him. _He only needed the baby and then he could make the spell he'd desired._ He tried again yet another branch was rammed through his stomach. _He would burn the baby whole using Esther's talisman_. Each time Elijah lunged he was thwarted and he grew impatient and furious because still Caroline didn't stop. He snatched at her clothes and Klaus grabbed both his arms and flung him into the hard earth. _He would kill Klaus._

**A/N: Hope I haven't lost you. Flashbacks were important to persuade you that Elijah is the bad guy not Klaus. Had to put in some Delena, and I changed my mind about Tyler, I had to give his character a redeeming ending. Please review.**


	7. A Conversation with The Original Witch

**A/N: Thanks for leaving reviews and feedback! If I owned TVD: Beremy would have lasted longer and Elijah and Klaus would play chess. Updated: 21/11/13.**

**A Conversation with the Original Witch**

**7**

Bonnie's eyes were shut tightly. Jeremy saw the candles he had set up in a circle beside Bonnie, flicker. He always got the creeps whenever Bonnie did her séances. She was summoning a "dead" witch named Esther. Bonnie had the _grimoire_ in her lap as she muttered the words to the spell. Everything went black, the hair on the back of his neck stood up and when Bonnie didn't respond to his shaken, "Did it work?" He touched Bonnie's shoulder in a hope it would offer some sort of comfort, but didn't.

The candles flickered back on and Bonnie's eyes opened. She exhaled slowly and raised her head. Jeremy let out a yell as a tall woman stood in the middle of the circle. She had long blond hair and piercing brown eyes. Her face was pale and didn't look a day older than forty. She was wearing a long cloak and her lips thinned in disgust when she saw Bonnie smiling at her.

"Why have you summoned me, Bonnie Bennett?" Esther sounded annoyed.

"I need your help."

"You have the _grimoire_, you do not need my help."

"The _grimoire_ assisted me so far, but I need your talisman to destroy the Sun & Moon curse which is affecting my friend: she's a vampire but her son is a hybrid." Jeremy noticed how Esther's face didn't reveal anything. "Its father is a Hybrid too: one of the first that Klaus created."

"The curse cannot be undone," Esther sniffed, stiffly.

Jeremy had been thinking about what he had read over Bonnie's shoulder and blurted out, "The Sun & Moon Curse can be undone using the blood of his creator, mixed with that of the doppelganger and the undoing of your talisman." He felt Bonnie's hand grab his groin and he choked back painful tears. Jeremy's face was turning red. Bonnie only let go once Esther replied and he moved back a few paces afraid of it happening again.

"The curse was a punishment for Niklaus who stole the talisman. Its magic is only to be used by a witch and must not be used by anyone else or it will be the death of them, no matter if supernatural or human."

"So who has the talisman now?" Bonnie asked.

Esther reached around her neck and sighed, "I gave it to my daughter, when she left the village with her brothers. Her name is Rebekah. But let me warn you Miss Bennet, I will not let you undo the curse: Niklaus deserves the pain I inflicted on him."

"Klaus is your son?!" Jeremy interrupted and getting punched in the balls, for it. He keeled over this time, gasping for breath. He supposed he deserved them both times, obviously Bonnie still hadn't forgiven him for kissing Anna.

"He was my son," Esther corrected.

Bonnie was curious as to why Esther would refuse anyone touch the talisman and then give it away to her daughter, but she had other questions to ask. "Is there another way, we can save the Hybrid baby?" Bonnie asked when Esther grew quiet. "Klaus has killed too many people. Do you understand why I need to do this?"

Esther lifted her chin up regally. "I understand why you _want_ to do this."

"Please," Bonnie begged. "She's my best friend."

Esther contemplated what her answer might have on the situation but finally agreed and told them what she knew: "The Hybrid's blood can kill Originals; but you must also know that if there's a hybrid baby: the balance has been undone. _He _is the reason things are as they are." Jeremy gaped as Esther pointed at him and Bonnie assumed she was talking about how she had brought Jeremy back from the dead: in turn making the ghosts appear from the in-between. That was why things had gone so wrong between them - because Jeremy had kissed Anna - a ghost. She still didn't understand how this contributed to the birth of Caroline's son, and so Esther gave her a hint.

"You brought a human back from the dead unconventionally. In turn, the balance was destroyed and the witches must allow for certain things to happen, including the birth of a Hybrid baby. The only way to make this right would be to-"

"I'm sorry but I'm not going to reverse the spell," Bonnie waited for Esther to continue. Making the choice to save Jeremy was the right thing to do because he was Elena's brother and Elena had been through too much already. Jeremy felt relieved to hear Bonnie didn't regret saving him.

"Now if you don't mind Miss Bennett, my coffin will be getting cold."

"Just one more question?" Bonnie said quickly.

"What is it?"

"What does it mean by the blood of his creator?" Esther's eyes darkened and a breeze appeared in Bonnie's bedroom: so fierce, the pages in the _grimoire_ burst open. Jeremy felt like he must have stopped breathing because he gulped down air seconds after. The candles flickered again, but Bonnie barely noticed, resting on her knees and waiting for the witch to answer in her own time.

"I am his creator." And she laughed, "My blood vaporised a long time ago, after my death."

"That's ok, you see Esther, I don't believe you really were the creator - you just cast the spell. I think, the creator was the one that made you decide to take revenge, and that only leaves your other son, Elijah." Esther's face contorted in rage while Bonnie looked smug.

"How dare you! Elijah was the son I should have trusted with my life. I should have treated him better."

"No, he was the son that betrayed you." Jeremy interrupted, and for once he had said the right thing, because Bonnie didn't hit him. "But treating him better might have helped too, considering he turned out to be a psychopath." And Jeremy took two steps back quickly, tripping over Bonnie's sneakers when Esther slammed her fist into her hand, and all the doors leading to Bonnie's room slammed shut.

Bonnie continued. "He was the one that loved you so much that he framed his own brother so he could remain your most faithful. He was also the one who made sure that Klaus never knew how to destroy the curse. Killing you had to be done, so he stabbed you in the back with a dagger: just like he had done with his sister."

"How do you know this?" Esther hissed and Bonnie felt sorry for the Original witch, who had not known who had killed her, it was obvious by her face - and she looked thunderous.

"Because Rebekah told us," she said. Esther grew still as Rebekah appeared out of the shadows, hand in hand with a very young vampire that Esther had once seen in a vision before her death: Stefan Salvatore - her daughter's downfall was caused because of this man.

"It's true mama," Rebekah whispered, watching her mother's spirit floating amongst the glow of the candlelight. She wished she could hug her: it had been such a long time since she had seen her, before they had chosen to leave their home and be with Klaus. "Elijah betrayed us all. Klaus was innocent and it was Elijah that killed us."

Rebekah squeezed Stefan's hand, appreciating that he had come. She had finally told him everything. He had listened to her stories and comforted her when she needed his advice.

"Elijah?" Esther breathed.

"If you don't help them, you will destroy your Niklaus, who did nothing but protect you, love you and be an honourable son." Stefan's arm wrapped itself tightly around her waist. Jeremy watched silently, wondering if he and Bonnie would be like that again, but too afraid to make the first move.

"My poor Niklaus." Esther covered her face with her hands, aghast.

0o0o

Damon and Elena sat on the couch in front of the fire, waiting. Rebekah and Stefan had gone to find Bonnie. Damon had refrained from calling the blond "Barbie-Klaus" because Elena looked like she would cry each time the words formed in his mouth. Damon had his arm wrapped around her shoulders. She hadn't told him to remove his arm.

It had been an awkward moment when Stefan opened the door to the Salvatore boarding house with Rebekah drinking martini's in only his t-shirt.

"Hi." Stefan had hesitated, knowing full well that Elena's eyes had fallen on Rebekah in the foyer.

"Hi." Elena, Damon noticed, stared at the beautiful blonde as if she was everything she wasn't.

"Elena," Rebekah smiled, raising her martini. "Coming upstairs baby?" she asked, after a few moments while Stefan hovered, trying to form an apology. Damon collected her from the door and poured her a bourbon without her asking for one, but knowing her well enough to know when was the right time.

"Are you ok?" he said, handing it to her as she sat down beside him.

"They're together?" she said, unravelling her scarf and staring at the floor intensely.

Damon wrinkled his brow. "He wanted to tell you, you know." Elena took a gulp. "It just happened."

Elena chewed her cheek lost in thought and stared into the crackling fire.

"How's Bonnie?" Damon changed the subject. "Has she found any hocus pocus that might help?" Elena took another gulp and Damon waited patiently for her answer.

"She had a vision, about Klaus and Caroline and the baby." Damon put down his glass loudly, trying to drown out the creaking of the Stefan's bed and the awkwardness of the atmosphere downstairs. Elena didn't even notice. "Klaus could touch the baby, without it changing, or crying and Bonnie's not sure what it means." Elena was staring at the floor with her empty glass in her hand and her eyes filled with tears. Damon didn't need to ask her why. Matt's body had been there on the carpet the last time she'd been there.

He sat down next to her and pulled her close. "I'm here Elena, nobody's going to hurt you." Elena was crying heavily now, wetting his shirt. He kissed the top of her hair.

"Can you take me home?" she sniffed.

"No. You're safer here with me." Elena was too tired to argue.

"Damon's right." Elena heard Stefan's voice. "Rebekah and I are going to Bonnie's: we've got to tell her about Elijah."Elena hid herself beneath the opening of Damon's leather jacket.

"OK." Damon waved them out, remembering what Rebekah had told them after she'd fainted.

"So it was Elijah, not Klaus?" Elena asked, wiping her eyes, and leaning against his shoulder.

"Hmm." Damon agreed. "Turns out he was pretty jealous of how Klaus was treated like the favourite son and so he framed him by planting -" and Elena stared at him. "-the necklace, your necklace is a talisman, the Original witch's power-source - this he planted beneath Klaus' bed and when he was caught the Original witch punished him with the sun and moon curse."

"That's horrible."

"This is Klaus we're talking about remember?" Damon reminded her.

"I know, he killed Jenna and Matt and made Tyler do those horrible things. I won't ever forgive him for that, but I wonder sometimes what Klaus would have been like as a child."

"I'm sure Rebekah can tell you more about that," Damon joked and Elena grimaced.

"Get some rest if you like. I'll wake you up as soon as they come back with news from Bonnie."

"OK." She whispered.

Damon smiled kindly and went to stand up, but Elena's fingers entwined with his and she realised she didn't want him to leave. He was a good pillow, he smelt nice, and he was warm. He sighed, putting his arm around her once more and she whispered thanks. He faced her just as she turned her head to him and she kissed him, softly but briefly. Damon was surprised but Elena wasn't. She was curious to know how it felt and was pleased to find this kiss was gentle and made her feel safe and there were butterflies. She pulled away deliberately so nothing more could come of it and her heavy eye-lids drooped, "Goodnight Damon."

0o0o

Caroline shut Tyler's death from her mind, focussing only on finding somewhere safe. Why did Elijah try to help her and then want to steal her son? It didn't make sense. She knew Matthew was one of a kind but she had thought Elijah was on their side and believed he would take down Klaus, but she had been stupid to think that Originals cared about anyone but themselves.

Caroline was sheltering Matthew from the wind and rain and she chose to run like Tyler had said, but where to? Where was safe in Mystic Falls and those who ran from an Original couldn't escape them forever, Katherine was an example of that. She looked down at his precious pale face and was surprised to see his eyes flash gold. She thought he might be hungry.

There was someone walking towards her. Caroline saw the stranger's face and her eyes changed colour from hate. "Haven't you done enough?" The stranger grimaced: there was something odd about him, but she was tired, hungry and she had too many unanswered questions.

"Elijah won't stop looking for you," Klaus said, stopping about a metre in front, his hands in his pockets. "If you don't let me help you, then you will both die."

"I'm not giving you my son so you can kill him." Klaus smiled to himself.

"I did want to kill it. I did. His birth wasn't part of my plan. I still don't understand how you managed to give birth. Vampires can't."

"Not that it's any of your business," she started. She would die before they took him from her arms, she would run until she couldn't; hide until there were no places left to hide; and try any spell that Bonnie could find to help her survive. "My friends will help me."

"Your friends are no match against Elijah." Caroline glared at him. "You know, your best chance, Miss Forbes is to trust me and believe that I might know a way to destroy Elijah, considering I am also an Original."

"Are you crazy?" and she flinched when Klaus appeared in front of her. He glanced at the baby and the thought of killing it seemed wrong, so instead he lay a hand on her shoulder and Caroline felt a strange connection to him: she must have been hallucinating. She just stood there, puzzled, his hand felt nice and his voice was a whisper. She thought she had been compelled to listen to him: to obey him. She looked down at Matthew and memories of Matt flooded into her brain and she stepped back quickly, "Don't touch me!"

Klaus shrugged, "Elijah will take him. He'll use him against me; draining his blood so he can kill me."

"Do you hear yourself? You murdered Matt to get back at us for resurrecting Elijah, and Tyler just died! There is no way in hell I would ever trust you or believe that you care!"

Klaus sighed. "Tyler was compelled 'til his death, but somehow he still chose you. "

"Love conquers all, remember?" Caroline said. "Of course you've never loved anyone, so I'm not surprised you don't understand."

"We should get going." Klaus said.

Caroline shook her head. "I'm not going anywhere with you."

"Yes, you are!" Klaus said and he grabbed her elbow.

0o0o

Esther and Bonnie worked together: a new alliance: two powerful witches with the same goal: to take down Elijah. First they had to find the talisman which had been stolen from Rebekah recently. Bonnie knew the talisman, she had tried to destroy it once already, thinking it would send the ghosts back to the dead, but instead it mended itself. She used Rebekah's blood - the true owner - and a wrinkled map Stefan had found in her dad's bookshelf to try a locator spell. Then Esther helped, chanting another spell in Latin, making Rebekah's blood travel east until it pooled together in a forest on the outskirts of Mystic Falls. "He's there." Bonnie said, pointing at the map.

"Stefan," Esther said, breaking the spell. "You have my blessing." Rebekah watched her mother's smile fade as her spirit materialised into nothingness.

Bonnie couldn't stop Jeremy from leaving to help Stefan and Rebekah, though she regretted the decision as soon as he was gone. She packed away the candles and the _grimoire_, sick of her own thoughts and decided to follow at a distance, just to make sure Jeremy wasn't killed.

**A/N: Just to explain: there are two spells that are important for two different reasons:**

**1) How to kill Klaus (Elijah wants) - burning hybrid baby whole using the talisman**

**2) How to destroy the Hybrid curse (Bonnie learned in the grimoire) - the undoing of the talisman, the doppelganger's blood and Klaus' creator's blood. i.e. Elijah's. More to do with this in the next chapter. Please review.**


	8. A Plan Set in Motion

**A/N: If I owned TVD: Damon would always be shirtless and playing poole with Elena, and John Gilbert would still be alive. Thanks for leaving reviews and feedback! **

**A Plan set in Motion**

**8**

"How are we going to kill Elijah?" Jeremy said, slightly dizzy after Stefan had pulled him along for the ride - vampire style. A cloud moved across the moon, and he could barely see their faces.

"He can't be staked like any normal vampire," Stefan explained, glancing at Rebekah who was staring out through the mist and rain. "Originals can only be killed with a dagger dipped in white oak ash."

"Sounds poetic," Jeremy mumbled. Stefan smirked. It certainly did, but in their haste to kill Elijah, they had left the dagger on the bathroom floor. They'd have to use their initiative, besides they needed Elijah's blood first for Bonnie to destroy the Hybrid curse and save Caroline's baby - that was the plan anyway.

"We have to injure Elijah enough so he bleeds, and then Rebekah can kill him." He pulled out a jar he had in his jacket which Bonnie had given him and showed it to Jeremy.

"How are you going to injure him?" Jeremy asked.

"With anything we can," Rebekah said. Stefan heard Jeremy's heart thumping anxiously.

0o0o

It took forever for Bonnie to locate them, and when she did: she was sweaty and tired. It was dangerous for her to be out in the open. Stefan told her to stay behind for a reason: so she could destroy the Hybrid curse and end more hybrid creations. They hoped it would also destroy the hybrid part that lay inside Klaus and Caroline's son, without actually killing them.

Bonnie saw Stefan holding Jeremy by the scruff of the collar, instructing in his ear the plan. Rebekah had picked up a rock with ragged edges and Stefan, a glass bottle, chipped on the side. Bonnie heard footsteps against the wet earth and saw someone she hadn't expected, someone who would be utterly ashamed of her letting Jeremy join in their dangerous adventure.

"Elena?" Bonnie whispered, but Elena didn't respond and Bonnie didn't want the others to witness her there, so she watched in silence. Minutes later Bonnie held onto her own talisman: Emily's necklace, to keep her safe from any threats. She saw Rebekah and Stefan run into the mist from behind the tree she was hiding behind. Jeremy hurried after them, holding a large stick like a sword. She closed her eyes, chanting a spell to protect them from instant death. She couldn't let anything distract her, not even the sound of Elena's pleas for help.

0o0o

Elijah's anger had not subsided, he was irritable, Caroline had only escaped him because Klaus had got in the way. He saw Elena standing in the middle of a clearing in an act of negotiation.

"Elena. You shouldn't have come." He said. He wasn't interested in anymore deals.

She lifted her chin, and said clearly. "I wanted to. You've destroyed too many lives to get away with it." The rain had eased but the ground was muddy and covered her nice shoes.

"You my dear, are no match for me. Run now while you can or else I'll kill you in front of your brother, boyfriend and of course my naive little sister." Stefan and Rebekah stopped still holding their weapons and Jeremy looked frightened: Elena was standing closer to Elijah than they were, but too far to be reached by them. "Go home children. I'm already in a bad mood, do not tempt me. It really is a pity that two of your friends have already been murdered." Elijah couldn't help himself, "Klaus killed Matt Donavan because it was a warning for resurrecting me, but it wasn't Klaus that compelled Tyler first. It was me and then I killed him when he tried to save Caroline."

He was satisfied with the fear in each of their features.

"Where's Caroline?" Stefan demanded.

"Somewhere with Klaus," Elijah said. "Now, who first? How about you?" Elijah appeared in front of Elena and both Jeremy and Stefan reacted when he began to choke her, laughing when her knees buckled, and still they hadn't moved. "I'm betting you are regretting your decision now?" Elijah smirked, while the blood drained from Elena's face.

"On the contrary," and her face changed. Her weak demeanour disappeared and he removed his hand in realisation. "Katerina?" She sank her fangs into him and took what she could, in the hope it would replace a part of her that he had ruined. Elijah lashed out and she was too slow for Elijah's counter-attack, as he plunging his hand into her chest. "I'm going to enjoy this."

There was a shout and somebody slid through the mud in front of her. He held out a jar to Elijah's wound and gathered what he could, before twisting on the lid and throwing Elijah's blood at Stefan.

"What is this?" Elijah screamed, as Rebekah restrained him.

"Your death wish." Jeremy explained and witnessed something glinting in Katherine's jacket. He pulled out the dagger and shoved it into his chest. Katherine gasped when his hand withdrew, holding the hilt of the dagger he had used on Rebekah. Katherine skittered backwards and grabbed Jeremy. Elijah's face turned grey, and he slumped onto his side.

"Thank you," Katherine said to Stefan when he helped her stand.

"Hey! You stole my necklace!" Rebekah accused.

"Check Elijah's pocket. He threatened me to steal it because I owed him. He saved me from the sacrifice." Rebekah poked inside Elijah's jacket and pulled out her necklace.

Katherine glanced at Jeremy, who now had mud stuck to his cheek. They had been a good team.

"Bonnie! What the hell are you doing here?" Jeremy flung his arm out to stop Katherine and the others from going home.

"Never mind," she lied, thought she was pleased Elena hadn't risked her life, that it had been Katherine; that Caroline was still alive, even if she was with Klaus; that Elijah had been stopped and Esther had told them how he could be killed and that Jeremy had had his five minutes of fame. "We'll look for Klaus in the morning. We need to put Elijah somewhere safe and we need to find out how to break the necklace," Bonnie explained, noticing Rebekah's hand in Stefan's'.

Rebekah seemed reluctant to break the only thing that reminded her of her past, but it was the only way to save Klaus. Stefan and Rebekah went to hide Elijah's body, telling them they'd meet them at the Salvatore boarding house. Jeremy walked beside Bonnie thinking he might have finally gotten back into her good books, then Katherine gave him an appreciative smile.

0o0o

"Where are we?" Caroline demanded, shaking herself free from Klaus and staring up at the impressive ceilings of a beautiful marble entrance with pillars and red carpet. Matthew had somehow fallen asleep in her arms. Their feet padded down the red carpet hallway and she tried not to show that she was impressed. The house looked like something from _Pride and Prejudice_. Klaus seemed to be more at home than she had realised, as he touched all the artefacts fondly.

"We're in my manor in England, back when I used to be Lord Niklaus of Bumbling Crook." Caroline stared at him like he had lost his mind. "Elijah won't stop until he kills us. He will find us, eventually, but this place is special." Klaus explained. Matthew stirred and she swayed as she climbed up the marble steps leading to the first floor. She glanced out the small windows facing the moors.

"This is the safest place I could think of. Nobody will ask questions and nobody will recognise me because it was two hundred years ago when I existed." Caroline stared at him. _She was alone, in England, with Klaus and her baby_. Why was he so calm? Why hadn't he killed her yet and why did he care enough to hide her?

"Take me home." She demanded.

"So Elijah can kill us? No. Trust me, this will be good for you and -" he nodded at the bundle which yawned in her arms, before continuing across the landing, pausing at every window. Klaus envisioned the multiple carriages that used to travel up the roads at night, when the manor was in all its glory. This place had many warm memories for him. He smiled, remembering how he and Rebekah lay across the purple flowers on the moors, and discussed their favourite artists.

"Why didn't you kill me?" Klaus had wanted to, but just recently everything but Caroline and the baby seemed unimportant. She reminded him of Rebekah and he smiled, surely she knew why.

"I can't, even if I wanted to."

"What are you on about?" She was sick of his vague answers too. She just wanted to go home.

"Since Tyler's death, I've been attached to you both, like something's making me protect you." He wanted so badly to touch her hand, like something wanted him to.

Caroline saw he was looking at Matthew again. "It's him. He's affecting our emotions."

She scoffed, and then, as she thought back over everything she remembered the kiss she'd shared with Tyler, when she had been so mad at him for injuring her friends and when Tyler kissed her, she had felt safe - the same feeling she had now with Klaus. Matthew opened one blue eye and she willed herself to stay calm. _Her son had powers?_ She looked up at Klaus and remembered Bonnie's vision: Klaus could hold her son without being hurt. _What did it all mean?_

"Why me?" Klaus said wiping a finger down the windowsill and discovering it was covered in three inches of dust. _They would need cleaners._ He carried on down the landing, passing some spectacular rooms that Caroline, couldn't help but peep into because the doors were ajar. "I presume you're hungry? You can stay in this room. It used to be Rebekah's. I'll bring some food."

"Nothing fresh," she snapped and Klaus smirked.

Caroline stopped him before he could leave, still trying to understand what was happening.

"You said when Tyler died. Tyler might have given something to you, what did you mean?" she said.

"He was _sired_ when he died - a part of him - attached itself and I became responsible." It sounded impossible, but she'd learned to believe impossible things could happen. "I have somehow adopted your baby."

Tyler's death had forced Klaus to be her protector. Matthew chose this moment to yawn and Caroline pressed her fingers against his gums quickly; she could feel a sharp point forming and she looked aghast. _Her son was teething with vampire fangs! And she and Klaus were now playing House_. "I suppose, you could say, I'm its father now." Klaus seemed bemused. Caroline was still trying to wrap her head around the idea.

"You can change his pooey nappy then, _dad_, and I'll get breakfast."

Klaus stuttered in protest but Caroline was already out the door. There was another thing that stopped her from worrying, Matthew's blood could kill an Original. Klaus stared at the pudgy baby which gurgled, waving its arms and kicking its feet. Klaus had no clue how to raise a baby. He had only thought of England because it was the first place he fell in love.

Elijah had told him Katerina Petrova was the key to destroying his curse. His betrayal had ruined everything. He was stupid not to have guessed then that Elijah was behind his misery. He had persuaded him that Katerina was to die and Klaus had never admitted his true feelings for her. He kept those vulnerabilities to himself but he knew the meaning of love.

Klaus left Matthew gurgling on the mattress of the four-poster and opened the curtains wide so light streamed into the room. He realised that the light had no effect whatsoever on the baby. He also noticed, that the fangs, Caroline had been so worried about were suddenly as long as the tip of his pointer. He poked the baby in the stomach, wondering if their connection was because he was also part hybrid. Their strange bond had made them a dysfunctional family. Klaus attempted to undo Matthew's buttons on his one piece but the boy's flailing limbs made it impossible, and when he finally reached his nappy, he was kicked in the eye.

Growling a little from the pain, he ignored it, he still couldn't bring himself to hurt him. Klaus wrapped up the bundle of mushy poo, disgusted. It smelled like the London sewers in the 1500s. Gagging from the smell he ran to the bins outside, hugging Matthew close to his chest. Flinching when specks of spit him in the ear when the boy began to blow raspberries.

Klaus flung the pooey nappy from the front door into the garbage bins. He sighed, in relief until he noticed Caroline's raised eyebrows. She was holding two-blood bags. Matthew weed down his shirt in excitement. Klaus felt his temper rise, then exchanged the bags for the baby.

"I think I should bathe him, and then I'll feed him. Coming?" Klaus was too busy yanking his stained shirt from his head. She stole a glance at him, lingering on his toned abs and smiling appreciatively. "You stop that," she hissed and Matthew wriggled his legs. She refused to let him persuade her to feel anything for Klaus. _She wouldn't._

0o0o

Alaric was expecting to find Damon drowning in the bourbon as usual, instead he walked in on Damon fast asleep on the couch with Elena snuggled up beside him. He didn't like it, but at least he hadn't caught them having sex. He turned to see Rebekah and Stefan staring at him, hand in hand, then Bonnie, Katherine and Jeremy walked in, wondering what exactly they had missed. Alaric was relieved that Bonnie was there, what he had found concerned her as much as the rest of them.

"Where have you been?" Jeremy asked the only one he had left, in his family, apart from Elena.

"Researching," and he pulled out pages that looked like he had ripped them out of the _grimoire_. Bonnie gasped, they _were_ pages from the grimoire. "It's ok, we'll sticky-tape them back together."

"Researching what?" Damon was flattening his hair which was all tousled. Elena peered at them bleary-eyed over the top of the couch and wished she hadn't. Stefan seemed surprised and Rebekah grinned. "What's been going on?" Damon asked. It didn't take long for the others to fill them all in on what had taken place. By the end of it Alaric realised that all his research had been in vain - they had already killed Elijah - and Bonnie knew how to destroy the talisman that belonged to Esther.

"We need Matthew's blood to undo the talisman, his blood can kill Originals, therefore his blood can also destroy an Original's tool, we just have to find where Klaus took Caroline." Bonnie explained. Jeremy smiled at Alaric's frown, patting his shoulder gently.

"That's why I love her." _They were broken up_. Bonnie was still working out her feelings and he was pretty sure, killing Elijah had only been one step towards her forgiveness. Elena fixated on Stefan's hand which was on Rebekah's waist. She thought about Damon's hand around her as she slept and for once, his moving on didn't hurt as much. Elena knew it was because she was falling in love with Damon. Bonnie could feel the tension in the room but she didn't want to get caught up in it. Caroline was depending on her, everything else would have to wait.

"Do you have any idea where Klaus might take Caroline?"

Stefan said, "Chicago?" but Rebekah shook her head, twirling her talisman between her fingers.

"England." Katherine admitted, shrugging. "Klaus told me once that the manor was his safe-haven."

"Well, not all of us can get to England." Bonnie said, breaking the silence. It was decided that Stefan, Rebekah and Katherine would go. Damon had opted to stay with Elena and Bonnie needed to get things sorted for the spell. Jeremy and Alaric decided to make themselves scarce, until they were needed again. "We'll be back soon," Stefan promised.

0o0o

Carol Lockwood sat in her dead husband's leather chair, staring at their family photo on his desk. Tyler had not come home in weeks and she knew it wasn't just to do with him being a werewolf. Something else had happened, and he hadn't told her. She had been dealing with the threat of vampires in their town by herself. Even Liz, the Sherriff had disappeared mysteriously. The house was empty and still.

Carol took a walk around the grounds and came to the Lockwood Cellar, named because it was the only place where hundreds of Lockwoods would chain themselves up when they turned, trying to protect themselves and their loved ones. Carol knew she probably wouldn't find anything there, but it was where Tyler had shown her his secret. She had thought it was a fable, never believing that something like that would be true - but she supposed, she should have known better; if there were vampires there would be werewolves. Carol shone the torch down the stone steps of the cellar and across the metal fences that separated each cell and she remembered her son's transformation.

The cellar was dark, eerie and smelled disgusting, like rotting rats or worse. She pushed open the gate of a large cell and squinted at something that obscured the back wall. Intrigued but nervous, she jumped at a scuffling of a rat, and then she shone her torch on the back wall and let out a scream, letting the torch clatter to the ground, leaving her with two dead bodies.

"Carol!" Liz shone the torch in her face.

"Liz! What are you doing here? Where have you been?"

"I don't know. I left town. I found myself here this morning and then I realised who else was here." Liz knelt beside one of the bodies and took out the boys' IDs. "What happened? Vampires?" Liz took her time to answer. Her memories were coming back: Tyler had compelled her to leave, Caroline was pregnant, Klaus, the Original vampire had come to kill them all. They weren't just fighting vampires, they were fighting the strongest and wisest of vampires, the Originals.

Liz turned slowly, and she could see the realisation on Carol's face. "I'm sorry, Carol."

"No, no, I don't believe it."

"Best friends: Matt and Tyler," Liz said, holding up their IDs.

"Who did this?" she stuttered, breaking down and pressing her cheek against his cold cheek.

"We can't stay, Carol. They'll be safe here." Liz called Damon on her mobile and warned him that they had found the bodies, she got his message-bank. "Damon, it's Liz. You better get down to the station this instance and tell me why both Matt and Tyler are dead. What has been going on?! _Carol Lockwood knows._ You need to move their bodies now before we send them to the morgue -"

Liz had only just put away her phone when Damon grabbed her by the shoulder and steered her out to the parking lot, making sure Carol was distracted. He pushed Liz against a patrol car, and answered her questions. "Klaus happened. Turns out that it's not Klaus we should be afraid of, it's Elijah."

"Why didn't you get rid of them?" Liz said furious at Damon's negligence when they piled them into the trunk of her car. They drove for hours until they were out of Mystic falls. Damon stopped the car, he turned to Liz with an exasperated sigh.

"I didn't think Carol would go there. I was going to bury them in the cellar." Liz looked out the front screen at a small cemetery on outskirts of another town. Damon and Liz lifted Matt first from her boot and dropped him into an open grave. Liz felt it was wrong not to have put him in a coffin with a tomb stone but it would be worse to attract attention. Tyler was lifted and dropped onto Matt, they were still covered in a thick blanket but Damon had less regret than Liz had.

"Elijah needs the coffin, sorry boys," He said, dragging Elijah's corpse from the spot Stefan had left him and digging up another grave. "Sorry George Kobler, but you've got a roomy now." He lay Elijah on top of him and groaned when the coffin lid didn't shut. He piled the dirt back on the stranger's grave, and waited for Liz, who had dirt on her face. Damon was admitted it was glad to have her back.

"How's Caroline?" Liz finally asked, when she had finished burying Matt and Tyler.

"Klaus has her and the baby." Something like fear, settled in Liz's features and Damon took her hand kindly. "We've got a plan. We need you to interfere as much as you can with the investigation. If things get too hard, then you can let us know and we'll get you out of there. Mystic Falls isn't what it used to be, it's getting harder to keep secrets." Liz nodded, she would do her best. "I'll let you know when Caroline's home."

Liz dropped off Damon and carried on to the police station, hoping Carol hadn't missed her.

0o0o

Caroline bathed and fed Matthew finding it easier each time. Matthew even seemed to understand that he had to be careful now he was growing at a fast rate. It was clear he didn't like hurting her. She walked into the library where Klaus had his head inside a book. He had put on a new shirt and she hissed at Matthew for making her want Klaus to take it off as quickly as possible. "Did you think he'd stay little forever?" He said unhelpfully, snapping the book closed. Caroline saw that he was reading _Lord of the Rings. S_he wondered if Matthew had somehow led him to that decision. "I hope you don't mind, but I thought I'd invite some guests." Klaus said, shelving Tolkien's classic. Caroline heard footsteps coming up to the house. _He was unbelievable! _"You can stay upstairs, or join us." Klaus said casually and Matthew squirmed in her arms so much after Klaus had left that Caroline put him down and to her amazement he sat up and banged his fists on the ground, leaving little dents.

Caroline could hear Klaus introducing himself this his guests and she heard people admire the manor. She wondered what his real intentions were, and whether he had just decided to throw a party because it was easier to feed off them. "Will you sleep and let me enjoy the party?" she asked him. He just smiled but didn't cry when she left him on the bed, tucked in tightly with pillows. She kissed his head softly. Caroline joined Klaus and he did something unusual, he took her hand and she got that same feeling of security she had before yet at the same time wished to slap him for it. He brought her round to meet his new friends and introduced her as his partner. _Partner!_ They both glanced at each other, knowing that Matthew was doing this: tricking them into becoming a family.

"Oh how lovely!" One girl gushed. "You are so lucky!" Another girl said, clutching the arm of her own boyfriend, who seemed taken aback. Klaus still hadn't let go of her hand. The longer he held it, the more her emotions stirred. She held her breath, trying to ignore the sudden images of her flinging herself into his arms and kissing him passionately. Each time she blinked she was erasing the sexual fantasies that were too inappropriate to share. Klaus' voice interrupted one seriously sexy moment, and she gasped. She hoped their connection, or whatever it was, didn't allow him to see what she just had.

"Come on in, make yourselves at home. Grab some champagne, beer, wine?" Klaus offered, pointing at a table where the entire surface was covered in alcohol. Caroline hadn't even heard him go out. "Hard liquor?" He whispered in Caroline's ear and her eyelids fluttered in ecstasy. _He had killed Matt, she reminded herself. He was a terrible person. He was an Original._ She kept trying to think of things to stop her from feeling like she had met her prince.

Soon the ballroom was packed with horny teenagers, girls that were gossiping about boys they liked, boys that were guzzling down beer in barrels and waiters she had never seen before. Klaus still hadn't let go of her hand. She wasn't entirely sure she wanted him to. Every second, people congratulated Klaus for having a beautiful and impressive home, he did the rounds with Caroline and then a surprise band was announced. _The Killers_ were rocking out a stage in the middle of the room with _Smile Like You Mean It_. Most of the teenagers were dancing in a sort of mosh, with their arms in the air. "What is all this?" she said.

"Just a welcome home party," he smiled.

"But this isn't you," Caroline tried to convince herself, still aware of her hand in his. Klaus grinned, "This is the real me before my obsession to destroy the curse. I used to love parties here. I loved being host." He said, sadly. Caroline pulled him away from the party and closed her eyes, breathing steadily. _This wasn't real. Klaus couldn't change that fast. He wasn't good like Matt and Tyler had been. He couldn't be trusted. _"Why did you kill them?" The spark in Klaus' eyes faded and their hands fell to their sides. Caroline stood determined. She needed to know the answer. She couldn't forget them or what had happened to them.

"I was angry," Klaus muttered. "I didn't kill Tyler - that was Elijah, and it was because he chose to save you instead of killing me."

"Matt was everything you'll never be" Caroline whispered.

Klaus paused. "I was angry because they had resurrected Elijah. I told Tyler to kill all of them. Tyler chose Matt first." He was so different - almost likeable. He was vulnerable, and her heart melted.

"Sorry to interrupt: curry puff?" A waiter asked, Klaus waved him away quickly.

"There's something going on between us." He murmured pulling her close and her confusion and anger evaporated. "I'm drawn to you." He said, twisting around so that she had her back against the wall of the empty hallway. _Had she stopped breathing?_ His mouth hovered by her ear, and her doubts disappeared, making way for what she needed, missed and what was good for her son.

Caroline exhaled, slowly. "Kiss me." Klaus's lips pressed against her neck, making her heart flutter. Her fingers snatched the end of his shirt, lusting to touch and taste his skin. His hand finished her action and the fabric dropped to the floor, forgotten. His mouth slammed against hers and her eyes snapped shut as electricity shot through her skin. He tucked his hands into her hair as his tongue caressed hers, deepening their kiss. He ripped open her shirt, smirking when the buttons pinged to the floor. Her bra was next to go, and she pushed against him as his mouth licked and sucked on her pert nipples, chuckling when she gasped and moaned in surprise. He unzipped her jeans, pulling them off impatiently. She tugged his head of curls, so that he growled, and his eyes glinted yellow. He grinned, reaching down to tug at her knickers. Stepping out of them, she did a small jump, wrapping her legs around his hips. Klaus pressed his thumb into her core, teasing her until she, until she cursed him. He undid his own jeans, not bothering to take them off, and pushed himself inside her.

"Oh god!" Klaus slapped his hand over her mouth in warning and she bit her lip until it bled, he bucked slowly against her and she slid up and down the wall, moaning. He pushed harder and rougher into her and she panted between kisses. His head sank beneath her chin, leaving a trail of hot kisses. Her own mouth connected with his ear. There was the sound of a clattering tray and she saw the waiter standing frozen to the spot, gobsmacked. She made a sort of, squeak and Klaus grinned, "Be a good bloke and forget what you saw here." The waiter left them. Caroline's smile faded when his paced fastened. She held onto his shoulders, her breasts bumping into his face as she arched her body, eager for her orgasm. He grunted, taking her mouth in a passionate kiss when she thought she might scream. She moaned and shivered, her eyes rolled back into her head. Klaus jolted roughly shooting his seed inside her. "I better not be pregnant again." she rasped, kissing the top of his muscular shoulders, sweetly. Klaus smirked, "We've already got one boy, a little girl might be nice." And his lips lingered on her cheek. "I think your son wants us to get along," he said, bucking his hips again to start up another rhythm. "Stop worrying," he ordered, nibbling on her ear.

"What are we doing?" she said, trying not to admit she wanted him. "This is wrong! We shouldn't be doing this. We are letting a baby control us," she stuttered.

Klaus snorted. "If he is, he has a very dirty mind." _How could he not take this seriously?_ They hated each other. _Klaus was evil._ Klaus murdered Matt, and yet she swooned each time Klaus kissed her. _He made her feel alive._ Klaus inserted three fingers into her dripping core and his head rested against her forehead. "Forget everything just for now, and we'll talk about it later, I promise. Just relax." Caroline's legs tingled and was pleased to see _he made her wet extremely quickly._

They landed on the floor of his room. They didn't make it to his bed. She fell back onto a shaggy rug and waited until he climbed over her with a grin, running his hand between her breasts and down to her waist. She swallowed, a little afraid, but only of the noises she would make when he began to lick her core. His tongue circled over her buds, slurping and provoking them, he began to pull them with his teeth, just to hear her reaction. She was so wet, her juices forced Klaus' tongue out of her and he grinned when she jolted almost off the rug. Klaus grinned, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. "Enjoying the band?" He said, tracing one of her nipples with a wet finger, and she just wanted him _inside_ her already. _Mr Brightside_ was vibrating through the floor. "Enough teasing." Klaus grabbed her hips and Caroline's toes curled. She bucked with him this time; her kisses were more fiery and she was less nervous. "I'm enjoying your music," she said listening Klaus' grunts and groans. He smiled, holding her head up to his face. She was sure her lipstick had faded, not that it mattered, Klaus hadn't liked her for her lipstick! _Why was she thinking about lipstick when Klaus was inside her? _ Klaus lingered on her lips, pulling at them softly and Caroline pressed back, desperately. He grinned between kisses, adjusting his position until she was a sweaty mess again. Klaus pulled her wrist down and stared at it for a moment, then he pressed his lips against the scars gently. She lifted her head to suck on his lips, "I love you." Klaus blinked down at her. "I'm sorry?" She looked ashamed, having not wanted to say anything of the sort. "If this baby wants a family, and I get to do this to you whenever I want, then I love you more." She smiled sheepishly, and she forgot all about what was right and wrong and threw herself into his embrace, making the most of it. Her second orgasm was better than her first and after they had both climaxed, Klaus reluctantly rolled off her to let her take a shower and went to check on the Matthew, who was wide awake with a great fat grin on his cheeky face.

"Your mother is one sexy vixen," he muttered, impressed. Caroline chose that moment to come into the bedroom wearing nothing at all. Klaus covered Matthew's eyes quickly. "He's going to be scarred for the rest of his life now."

She smirked, gathering her clothes, as Klaus made it very difficult to concentrate, by running his hands down her spine. "I'm going to check on our guests." He had already gotten dressed, somewhere between the rug and her shower. Matthew blew a raspberry at her and she knew it was him telling her he told her so! "You're in big trouble mister!"

**A/N: I wanted to give Klaroline my own flare and be a little special. Please review.**


	9. Carol's Betrayal

**A/N: If I owned TVD: Jeremy and Elena would have adopted Alaric. Thanks for reading! Updated: 21/11/13.**

**Carol's Betrayal**

**9**

Jeremy had gone to bed, tossing and turning; his thoughts full of nightmares - incidents - where their plan failed in different ways; Elijah killed Elena and Bonnie made him drink Stefan's blood; he was turned into a vampire and killed Bonnie; Bonnie sacrificed herself to save Elena who was actually Katherine - every possible version of events he suffered until morning when he fell out of bed after a particularly nasty image of himself running through the forest and getting his limbs ripped off and eaten by a werewolf. The particular gruesome image of Francisco Goya's famous painting: _Saturn Devouring His Son_ came to mind. Alaric pulled him up by the arm. "Are you OK?" Jeremy told Alaric what he'd seen, the images had seemed so real and he was shaking, taking in ragged breaths.

"Nightmares," Jeremy mumbled.

"From the adrenaline rush you had from stabbing Elijah, no doubt."

Jeremy wiped his eyes, removing the evidence - he wasn't supposed to be scared.

"Bonnie would know what they meant...she could tell me. Maybe they're warnings?" Alaric disagreed: he needed to stay out of Bonnie's way, she had too much to do already. "Besides I need your help getting the weaponry ready for when Klaus returns." Alaric said, "Make sure you eat breakfast." He ruffled Jeremy's hair, just to be irritating. The doorbell rang. Liz Forbes and Carol Lockwood were in some sort of debate. "Stay upstairs, Jeremy. I'll be outside with Mrs Lockwood."

"What is it?" Carol grabbed his upper arm. "My son's been murdered! So has Matt Donavan and for some reason, the murderers have kidnapped their bodies! We need your help!"

"What do you need?" Alaric said, glancing at Liz who hadn't said anything since their arrival. She looked angry but didn't want to interrupt Carol's wishes. Of course Alaric knew what had happened to Matt and Tyler, Damon had filled him in, but he didn't think it would bite them both on the ass again. He had to be careful - Carol didn't know anything of what they had been doing the past two years. _Secrets had to stay hidden._

"We need you to keep your eye on Elena. I'm sure you are aware she is quite close to the Salvatores. I think it was them who murdered Tyler. I've never trusted them and neither have you." After Damon had killed him he had been in such a rage that he had gone to the council and announced that it was time for them to do something about the Salvatores, but he had forgiven Damon for his tantrum and they were friends after all. _Drinking buddies and best mates._

"You want me to spy on Elena?" Alaric raised his eyebrows; they were getting closer to the truth. Klaus would create havoc by killing everyone who attacked him. _It would be chaos._

"You know I wouldn't ask you if it wasn't important. I need to know what's been going on in this town. As Mayor I need to protect this town." Alaric only had Elena and Jeremy now, after both Isabelle and Jenna's deaths. His world was helping the Salvatores now. Carol was still talking, "And lately, I've felt like the monster because no-one will help me, everyone seems to be in line with Damon, including Liz here, who for some reason has been telling me it's a bad idea to include you."

Liz interjected, "I meant it was a bad idea to get Alaric to spy on Elena. I know you're on council Alaric, but Elena is very fragile, she's been through enough." She finished angrily. "I was thinking of what it might do to your relationship with her." Liz pressed.

"I understand. But Carol's right. We need to know what's going on in this town and we need to take charge against the threats. I'll protect Elena and I'll help you find the killer." Alaric was true to his word. He just meant it differently: _He'd take charge against threats: Carol was a threat, Elijah and Klaus were threats. He'd protect Elena from anyone who would try to hurt her and he'd bring down Klaus - saving Caroline and the baby: that was the plan anyway._

Carol sighed letting go of his arm. "I expect you to assist, Liz, or I'll make Alaric Sherriff and run you out of this town." Liz kept her retorts to herself.

"If you don't mind Carol, I need a word with Liz." Alaric said. When Carol was out of ear-shot, Liz hissed at Alaric, telling him where the bodies were, what she and Damon had said and how they had to interfere with the investigation. "_Are you kidding me? Damon thinks he can handle this and you believed him? Are you mad? How the hell are we supposed to do this_?" Alaric wracked his brain for answers but had none. They had to lie. "Just do your best." Liz pleaded. "_Please_." Alaric sighed, interfering in an investigation - great, now he could face gaol time. "Damon owes us so big, right now," he said, giving in. "OK. But you warn me as soon as Carol suspects anything and we've got to tell Damon and get everyone out of Mystic Falls."

"Or, we kill Carol?" Liz negotiated.

Alaric looked stunned, "Killing her seems a little extreme? What about compulsion?"

Liz shook her head, "Not if it means trying to save our children, besides compulsion doesn't last, I should know."

"That's because Tyler was killed," Alaric pointed out.

"We don't know what's going to happen to any of us, but when it comes to protecting _them -_ I will do anything." She referred to Elena, Jeremy, Bonnie and Caroline and maybe a part of herself also meant Damon. Alaric shook Liz's hand briefly, hoping it wouldn't come to that.

After Alaric had explained what had happened to a confused Jeremy, who was full of questions by the end, he sighed and reached for a drink - thinking immediately of Damon. They were in such a big mess he was out of excuses and didn't know who to blame, but he knew it wasn't all Damon's fault. Alaric wondered if Stefan, Rebecca and Katherine had located Caroline and he was glad he hadn't mentioned anything of the sort to Liz. Why had Klaus taken Caroline when he could have staked her, killed the baby and run for it? It didn't make any sense.

And what could they do with Carol? Alaric watched Jeremy cleaning a rifle and he pointed to parts of the gun and the wooden bullets and told him how it was used. Jeremy wasn't just a kid. The same as Elena - what they had been through was unique and it made them stronger. No kid should have seen the amount of violence that they had - or be so frightened that they thought they'd die, or realised that those haunting stories about witches and monsters could actually be true. Alaric returned to his thoughts and realised, his whole life had been a lie. Alaric saw Jeremy shooting wooden bullets at the wall and smirking when they left large dents. "Elena's going to kill me," but he sounded impressed. Alaric saw his whole demeanour change: he was beyond ready and his plan didn't sound too bad either. Of course, they needed a certain unruly vampire to help them pull it off.

0o0o

When Liz entered the police station, annoyed but on guard, she was asked into the interrogating room to wait for Carol. Thinking they had a suspect she sighed and pushed open the door, to find the room was empty. Liz turned to see the deputy standing behind her, "Where's Carol?" The deputy told her to take a seat and planted himself by the door. Liz was left to stare at a blank television set, folding her arms reluctantly. "I should really be getting on with the investigation." The deputy smiled wryly and Liz grabbed her holster and gun but his fist met her face with such a blow that she was launched across the floor. The deputy ripped her guns from her and kicked her in the stomach.

"The Mayor will be with you shortly." He took her weapons and left her in the dark. Liz pulled her phone out of her pocket, feeling blood on her tongue. _They knew. _Liz dialled Damon's number. Five rings and he hadn't picked up. By the sixth, Liz had started a tirade of swear words.

"Hel-Liz?" Damon sounded like he'd just woken up.

"Carol knows, they're interrogating me in the police station. I don't know how they found out but-"

"I'm on my way."

"Don't-"

"Liz, I'm not going to let anything happen to you."

"You need to see Alaric first."

"Fine. But I'm not going to be long, stay put and deny everything." Damon said. Liz put her phone away, hearing footsteps behind her. The door swung open with a squeak and the television set switched on, showing a paused video of Liz and Damon standing on the pavement discussing something - it was the day they'd found Tyler and Matt, dead in the Lockwood cellar.

"Hello Liz," Carol was playing the kind interrogator. The deputy was playing the bad. "Water?"

"No thank you. Why am I here, and why have I been assaulted?"

"Assaulted? Did you assault her Derrick?" Carol asked sweetly. He nodded. "Oh, I'm sorry Liz, I suppose it's just his way of hitting the truth out of your lying, ugly, body. Let's just get to the point shall we?" Her face inches from hers. The room was small and cramped, with one exit. The vein in Carol's forehead was pulsating strangely and she had never witnessed this side to her - something had happened to her.

"You have been lying to me for some time, Liz. I know that you, Alaric, Damon are working together and that you've been covering up the unexplained deaths over the last two years. I know that you can't possibly be doing your job because you are too busy protecting them. My husband, brother and son were all murdered and you covered up all their deaths, didn't you?" She yelled.

"I don't-" Liz began but Carol slapped her.

"STOP LYING!" Her eyes turned yellow._ It wasn't possible. She didn't have the gene. Carol Lockwood was not a werewolf. _"I've known for some time that something funny has been going on, and this tape -" She jabbed the still picture on the screen, "-proves that you were the one that moved the bodies of my son and Matt Donavan. Damon Salvatore and yourself were seen leaving the station after you left me. We traced your car and followed you to see you unceremoniously throw their bodies into a pit..." Liz watched the footage and to someone who didn't know what they were doing it looked a horrible thing, but Liz trusted Damon. "How would you like it, if I killed Caroline and threw her into a pit." Liz stood up violently and Derrick punched her.

Liz hid her bloody face from view. "Carol, you don't _understand_!" Derrick mimicked her gleefully and she was surprised to see his eyes were also yellow. _Was he a hybrid? Was Carol one too? _"Don't do this!" Liz yelled, when Carol turned her back on her and Derrick stole her badge. "Now she begs." Derrick laughed, raising her from the ground and slamming her onto the desk.

Carol held her hand to stop him. "I'll deal with it." Liz wiped the blood from her face; her body was aching with pain and she felt helpless, but she had to try and make Carol believe that if she did this - she wouldn't last a day. "I needed help with this investigation - but you betrayed me when you became friends with Damon Salvatore!"

"I can't deny that I am not friends with Damon, because I am -"

"You betrayed me. Therefore your punishment shall be death!"

"Since when do we use the death penalty?"

"Since now." Carol snapped. "Goodbye Liz. Derrick," Carol took her badge from Derrick, "I'm sure our new Sherriff will agree with me. He'll be in shortly as he wanted a word with you."

She needed Carol to understand. "You cannot deal with Original vampires - they are too powerful. The Salvatore's didn't murder your son. Elijah did. Klaus has taken Caroline and her child and I don't know where they are. Your son compelled me to leave town. You haven't known what's been going on here for years. You cannot run this town and beat the vampires."

"Watch me." Liz was sure she saw Carol's tongue roll over two fangs. _It was impossible! She was seeing things._ Derrick forced her to her knees by her hair, waiting for her punishment, with eyes wide open - facing her fears. Derrick pointed her own gun at her temple.

"You'll die," Liz whispered.

"I don't think I will. You see my new Sherriff has agreed to help me rid the town of these new threats and I trust him." _How was she a Hybrid? It just wasn't meant to be. Both Tyler and Carol Lockwood? And who had Hybrid-Carol made as Sheriff? _

Liz breathed Alaric's name, but Carol shook her head. The door swung open and two more deputies forced two struggling 'criminals' into the room. Liz stared at Alaric and Jeremy, who were in worse shape than she. Jeremy lay face up, in a pool of blood, his breathing was ragged and his hand held his chest. Alaric was forced onto his knees also, with a large cut above his eyebrow but looking fierce.

"Derrick overheard your chat to Alaric and so we sent some uniforms over and saw several strange weapons - yes to kill vampires - but we also found some strange products, including the following _Gilbert Journals_ which explain quite a lot about, not only the Salvatores but also my history - werewolves - who knew? And it seems something did happen to me, I seem to remember it vividly."

Liz glanced at Alaric in shock. He shook his head - it seemed he already knew what had happened to Carol and was looking grim about it. He also broke the dialogue on several occasions to demand that Jeremy be taken to hospital; only to be beaten by his captor. Jeremy coughed up blood, "Eli-jah."

Liz was speechless. _How? And more importantly why? And by who? Of course, the answer was obvious as Liz stared into Carol's power-hungry eyes. _The door widened and Elijah stood; hair combed, suit pressed and with that hideous smile. Carol waved him into the room, explaining she had brought the Original vampire to life. There was a terrible stillness in the interrogation room and Elijah's footsteps echoed around the room.

"What a lovely surprise," Elijah said, "It's been some time since I was awarded a star." Liz presumed the dagger in his fist was used to stab Jeremy. "How are we all?" _How the hell were they going to get out of this one? And where was Damon? Imprisoned? Or worse - staked? _

Carol looked smug, as did her deputies. "Firstly Elijah, I want-" Elijah seemed to be their secret weapon. Liz could see the cogs working in the Original's mind and she guessed of Elijah's real intentions too late. She couldn't even do anything to warn Carol or intervene. Elijah ran his finger over the desk, inspecting it, calmly. "Carol, I told you, I don't take orders from humans like you-" Carol looked confused when he appeared behind her - SNAP - "I just find you utterly useless." And her body fell to floor in pieces.

"But she wasn't human?" Liz spluttered. Elijah wiped his hands on a handkerchief. "Her eyes turned yellow and I'm sure I saw fangs - what happened to her?" Elijah cleared his throat as the deputies looked anxious.

"An experiment happened. I wanted to see if Tyler's blood could create more hybrids. Unfortunately it just made the humans go a bit mental - sort of like using crystal meth - if you know about drugs." Elijah said, giving some impression that he was talking from his past life. "It was quite fun watching how they treated your betrayal Liz and particularly fun when I realised they easily obeyed my compulsion, so I could do a lot of things without people knowing it was me, but eventually I became bored."

The deputies pulled out their guns, finding out they were experiments didn't fit well with them. Elijah beheaded them with his hand and blood splattered all over the walls and his suit. "I knew you'd try and kill me again, so I told Carol she would be the one to find me and make me Sherriff, however now that I am Mayor, I will offer you this one choice. Join me or die."

Alaric snorted, "There's no way in hell." Elijah pulled Jeremy roughly from his position and stabbed him again so that he howled in pain and both Liz and Alaric pleaded for Jeremy's release.

"It pays to be polite," he reminded them.

"It also pays to stop being such an ass!" Damon stood in the doorway. Bonnie alongside him. "How many times must I kill you?" Damon sounded resigned.

Elijah smirked. "Damon Salvatore - why aren't you dead yet?"

"People like my cocky smile." Damon gave him a sample. "Also, I seem to be making friends. Perhaps you should try it sometime."

Elijah dropped Jeremy to the floor amongst the dead bodies and Liz pulled her gun from Derrick's dead hands and shot two wooden bullets into Elijah's knee. They must have felt like mosquito bites. He bent down and broke her hand, kicking the gun from her. "I look forward to killing you Damon." Elijah pulled off the table leg.

Bonnie's saw Jeremy dying and every feeling, every thought, every emotion came flooding through her veins. "Get them out." Bonnie shouted and Damon heard Bonnie's rage vibrate through him. The pools of blood became flames, eating away at the deputies' skin and leaving a disgusting odour mixed with ash. Liz and Alaric picked up Jeremy as Damon whooshed them away from danger.

Elijah was trapped by flames; his feet were glued to the ground and he glared at the little witch - she shouldn't have this much power - something was helping her? _Someone_? Elijah's calm demeanour had disappeared and he spat insults at the witch until the flames reached the ceiling and he heard whispers on the flames. _"This is for Klaus. For my son. You disappointed me, Elijah. You betrayed us. Remember the Original clan. Remember me. You do not deserve my love. You will die and she will be the one to kill you. Betrayed. Liar. Sinned. Betrayed..." _And her voice hissed with the thrashing flames.

_"Ma?" _Elijah breathed. If Bonnie had been listening she would have heard a small amount of fear. Bonnie breathed in the ash and flames and Esther's voice cried out. "THE ORIGINAL CLAN. MY POWER SHALL RUN THROUGH YOUR VEINS FOREVER, BONNIE BENNETT. YOU HAVE SHOWN ME LOVE, ANGER AND SHOWERED YOUR FRIENDS WITH PROTECTION. YOU HAVE REMINDED ME OF LIFE AND YOU DESERVE TO HOLD SUCH POWER. YOU HOLD THE POWER OF THE ORIGINAL WITCH."

The voices stopped abruptly and Elijah stood, sweating, his handkerchief covering his mouth. Bonnie sent shocks through the floor forcing him to his knees, then his elbows and it was _her_ voice that screamed and echoed through the room. She was channelling Esther's spirit and there was a chance, a very big chance that this much power could either kill Bonnie or kill him.

0o0o

Damon turned to Jeremy whose life was dwindling away. Alaric looked desperate, his finger was plugged into Jeremy's wound. Damon didn't need any encouragement, he bit his wrist and forced the blood into Jeremy's open mouth. When Jeremy came around he threw himself against Damon wanting to help Bonnie.

"Bonnie will be fine; she has Esther!" he groaned. Liz pulled Damon aside and told him everything. "Alaric, get Liz and Jeremy home, get Elena and pack, we're moving out of Mystic Falls. We don't know how many people Elijah has compelled and we need to stick together. Call me as soon as you've settled and I'll come and meet you."

"What about Matt and Tyler?" Liz asked, stopping Damon.

"I'll bury them and destroy the investigation." Damon hurried them along. "She'll be fine." He reassured a very reluctant Jeremy, convincing himself at the same time. When Damon stole the bodies back from the police station, the only safe place to keep them was the Salvatore boarding house. Frankly it was the last place he wanted to bury two humans. He dragged the bodies, hidden snugly in black garbage bags and dug a hole in their lower garden. Sweating he leant on the shovel and stared at the earth he'd lowered on each deep grave. He supposed he should be relieved it wasn't Elena or Jeremy he was burying.

Damon heard footsteps behind him and he turned sharply to see Elena carrying a large duffel bag. He pulled two roses from the garden and gave them to her. Their exchange was silent. The gesture was special and sweet and as Damon's hand took the bag's strap off her shoulder, she took the roses and placed each on top of the mound of earth and sprinkled a handful of earth over their graves.

She recited the same poem she had written for her dead parents. It had taken only five minutes to write but the paperwork was beyond saving - tears had smudged it and as she remembered the words, now by heart - crying silently.

_Taken too young,_

_you were loved, respected and brave._

_Dreamers, inspiration and fierce protectors,_

_you taught me to live, love, care: to _

_swim, drive, take risks._

_You left your friends, family and me -_

_to take a new journey above and beyond._

_Take care Tyler and Matt, let_

_the afterlife be just like you _

_imagined - peaceful, fun and by_

_ all means: home._

- Elena Gilbert

Elena choked back tears by the end of it and leant against Damon, standing there together, remembering happier times. Damon's hand squeezed her shoulder, his lips soft against her head. "Alaric is waiting outside, I just grabbed some clothes. I know we can't come back but I don't want to leave without you."

Damon turned her to face him, "I'm hoping one day we can, but right now, it's safer for you and the others to run. Stefan and I will take care of Elijah and I'll be with you as soon as I can."

"Wait -" Elena paused and picked up a rock with a jagged edge. She pulled a phial from her jacket and made a cut across her hand until it bled, allowing for the blood of a doppelganger to drip into the container. "I love you. You know that don't you?" After everything they had been through, it came down to her confessing her love for him, standing over her two dead friends and knowing that time was precious.

"I know." He kissed her, relieved to feel Elena's hands on his neck. "I love you too." Elena lips tingled as she saw Damon's blue eyes, full of love and security. Her life with Stefan seemed like a dream. She was going on the run: leaving Mystic Falls behind her; in love with Damon Salvatore and wanting to adopt Alaric; Liz was no longer Sherriff and both Tyler and Matt were laid to rest. Damon saw her hesitation and he kissed again. When they broke apart, he took her bag and held her hand, until he deposited her into Alaric's truck; giving him a nod goodbye.

**A/N: Please review.**


	10. Graves & Toddlers

**A/N:**** If I owned TVD: Damon would name his dog Mason. (Ha! Ha! Just joking... or am I?) Updated: 21/11/13.**

**Graves & Toddlers**

**10**

Caroline had fallen asleep and woke only after Matty hit her with a pudgy arm. "Klaus." He looked at least two with a tuft of blond hair. He was sitting up now and crawled to the edge of the bed. "Klaus. Danger." _Two words!_ Caroline couldn't believe it. _Her son could talk! _"KLAUS. DANGER!" This last one was an impatient shout. Caroline let him down and he crawled down the landing, faster than she imagined. _What in the world was going on? _ "DANGER!" Matty said, as Caroline entered the library carrying him, and hoping for Klaus' advice.

Klaus was staring out of the window overlooking the moor. She ignored her erotic thoughts by putting them in a draw. "Matty spoke," she said. Klaus raised her eyebrows. He took Matty and nodded to the window. There seemed to be a small party gathering on the drive to meet them. "They've found us," he said. Caroline saw Stefan, Rebekah and Katherine waiting on the porch.

"Matty, will you help us?" Klaus said directly to their son.

"What are you doing?!" Caroline hissed, thinking he was compelling him and snatched him back.

"I wasn't." Klaus sighed. "Merely asking for his advice, now that he talks."

"Only in one word intervals." Caroline rebuked, smoothing his golden hair gently.

"Why is there danger?"and Klaus grinned when Matty said, "BLOOD. ELIJAH. SPELL."

Caroline stared at her son, remembering how Elijah's death could only be caused by the blood of her hybrid baby - the blood that killed Originals.

"See, he's growing. Soon he'll be able to string sentences together." Klaus returned him. Caroline refused to let him go. Klaus pulled her by the elbow so that she careened into him and they both felt the sparks. Klaus's hand moved over her bum, beneath her nightie and between her legs and he smirked when Caroline tried to pull away. _This wasn't the time, despite how much she had pleaded for it_. "Matty can take care of himself, can't you son?" He let him crawl around the carpet happily.

Caroline protested as Klaus' fingers brushed against her bundle of hair and she felt her legs widen hopefully. "We can't Klaus. They'll hear." Matty who giggled when Klaus buried his head into her neck and explored her folds. The noises Caroline made were beyond translation. It encouraged him. Her face fitted snugly beneath his chin and soon her lips and body were playing off Klaus' lust; ignoring their visitors and the fact that it might scar Matty in future, Caroline succumbed to temptation and pleasure. _They were magnets._

They stumbled onto the couch, she was unable to hear her rational voice as his body raged over hers. His mouth was heaven, sucking, pulling and nibbling her lower lip. His hands were glorious, supporting her spine, running over her hips and breasts and rubbing her centre. His tongue did magnificent things: between her lips, over her neck, lapping at her breasts and dominating her core. His eyes were bright, full of love, cheekiness and expertise. Every muscle in his back was in use: she could feel the bones in his spine twisting to get as close as he could to her skin - to every part of her perfect figure. His pants were last to be removed and the zip was slowly pulled down, teasing her considerably.

Caroline was beyond wanting to stop - she wanted him inside her, again and again. Klaus broke off from her mouth and swept her hair from her face. She had never felt this way about anyone; nor this comfortable; nor had her sex life been so incredible. Klaus knew exactly what to do to make her want him and she knew if she kept doing this with him she could easily forget why it was so wrong. Her nightie was now in a heap on the floor and she found herself christening another piece of Klaus's furniture. She grabbed his face, smashing her lips against his. "Kitten, we have all night for that."

"Need you now." Klaus adjusted her legs around him and guided his cock inside her noticeably wet thighs. She tilted her head back, pulling his bum close and arching her back, meeting him in the middle as he bucked gently. She moulded against him, her core tingling. "Klaus?" she panted, as he quickened his pace. "Sweetheart?" he huffed, trailing his tongue over her breasts and biting them gently. "Why did you do those terrib-_OH_-le things?" Caroline saw him hesitate. She also thought she saw regret. "I didn't know what I know now. I'd forgotten what it was like..." Caroline brushed her fingers across his cheek."It was all about me - my curse, my life, my aim. I forgot how it felt to love somebody. I forgot what life was like." Caroline saw his devastation and only wanted to comfort him, thanking him for telling her the truth.

Caroline started their love making again, encouraging him until they resumed their fast-paced pounding and Klaus whispered, "I've never loved anyone as much as I love you." She smiled gently, kissing his arms, and felt like it was Christmas morning. "How do we know this is real?" Klaus was too close to his orgasm to answer and she just reached hers. Klaus pushed himself away from her, changing the angle suddenly so she disappeared beneath the pillows. She lay there beneath Klaus whose toned abs and gorgeous jaw towered over her and she squirmed beneath him with shiver. "Did that feel real?" Klaus murmured, stroking her hair and kissing her cheek.

"It felt right," she said, smiling.

They hadn't noticed Matty crawling out of the library and down the foyer, nor did they notice him toddle down on two legs and open the door with the crack of his fist. The visitors stared at the small toddler in anticipation.

"Matthew?" Stefan asked, bending forward.

"Is that him?" Rebekah enquired, glancing at Stefan who gave a discreet nod. Matty seemed to be waiting patiently. "He looks bigger!"

"How are we going to get his blood?" Katherine asked. "And where are Klaus and Caroline?"

Matty tugged on Stefan's pants. "FRIEND." Stefan couldn't get inside until Klaus invited him in. Rebekah walked straight on, across the threshold and onto the marbled floor. It was exactly like she remembered, except now the ballroom was filled with thousands of empty cups, sticky alcohol and rubbish. Katherine stepped inside too, her past flashed through her mind. The trauma, the lies and the fear - everything came back.

Stefan shouted after them rolling on his heels, utterly useless. "How the hell am I going to get in there?" Rebekah shrugged her shoulders. Matty tugged on Stefan's pants again and raised his arms. Stefan pulled him up, feeling awkward - he was a lot heavier than he remembered and it had only been a short period of time. He wondered what the little boy wanted to tell him. "BLOOD." Matty pointed to his mouth and Stefan looked confused. "BITE." Matty said, after a minute. Stefan stared at him, not understanding, leaving Matty to punch him in frustration.

"Hey!" Stefan caught him round the arm, annoyed. Matty bit his own lip, and it dribbled over his tongue and down his chin. "You want me to take your blood?" Stefan held out the phial and collected the drops. Matty pointed at the door and Stefan explained that he couldn't go in. Matty seemed to realise his hesitation, he giggled, leaving Stefan to take a chance and he was surprised to see that he stepped through easily. "How did you know?"

Matty kicked his legs happily and pointed to himself. "SMART."

"How come you don't mind me holding you now?" he asked. Matty's eyes lit up. "FRIEND."

Stefan and Matty joined Rebekah and Katherine who had stopped just outside the library, looking both bemused and horrified. They had caught Caroline and Klaus in a compromising situation. Caroline was standing on the opposite side of the room screaming at Klaus who stood on the other side yelling back. The room was ransacked and they seemed to have lost something. Stefan could hear their debate from where he was standing.

"Don't come near me! We have to find him! I can't believe you thought this was fine! This is all your fault!" There was no question what exactly they had been doing by the condition of their clothes and Caroline's bed hair.

"Well if you told me he could super-crawl, I would have been more aware."

"You're meant to protect him, not let him loose! He could be anywhere by now!"

Klaus mumbled, "should have waited for me, I could have taken him there."

"Awkward," Katherine murmured.

Matty started crying all of a sudden and everyone looked up. Stefan froze. Caroline rushed over immediately and took Matty from him. She felt a sense of joy to witness Stefan there, but also resentment because she didn't need to be saved.

"Sister, did you miss me?" Klaus walked up to them. Stefan noticed his shirt wasn't buttoned properly. Rebekah seemed to notice the same thing. "Looks like we're even," he added and he raised his eyebrow at Katherine who was looking out at the moors. Caroline noticed Rebekah and Stefan's fingers touch and she realised they were a couple_. _"Hello Stefan," he added as an afterthought. He was back to being Serious-Stefan.

"Let her go," Stefan warned. Klaus smirked; _Not in billion years._

"I'm not in trouble, Stefan." Caroline murmured; _I'm with my family._

"Do you realise what you're saying? He tried to kill all of us."

Caroline tried to make them understand. "I know, I've forgiven him for his mistakes, but Klaus and I are connected." Caroline held Matty up. "Klaus is Matty's father now: because he is part Hybrid, Matty is sired to Klaus. I need Klaus and so does Matty. He chose Klaus."

Rebekah interrupted. "Niklaus, we've brought good news, Elijah is dead -"

Klaus and Caroline sighed in relief, their hands instinctively entwined. _But how?_

"-Temporarily-" Katherine added, "with the dagger dipped in ash, but we have to stop him for good and this is where we need your help."

"You want Matty's blood to give to Bonnie, don't you?" Caroline whispered, "Because his blood can kill Originals."

"Bonnie has a spell she can create with the help of our mother. Niklaus, she's sorry for putting you through the curse - there's a way to free you from the Hybrid curse, we can cast this spell afterwards, but you have to come home with us now."

"What will happen to Matty if Klaus is no longer a hybrid." No-one answered. Matty was unique, one of a kind. Caroline had been jiggling him in her arms when she noticed he had stopped crying. Klaus turned to Matty abruptly; he smelt blood. _Pure blood._ He touched Matty's chin, curiously then grabbed Stefan and held him against the wall, knocking over a suit of armour.

"How do you have it?!" Klaus demanded becoming his terrifying old self.

"Nik, don't!" Rebekah hurled herself across the room to pull Stefan to safety. Katherine and Caroline watched as Matty started giggling wildly, clapping his pudgy little hands. He slipped from her grip, sprouting taller and older. Katherine and Rebekah were as bewildered as Caroline. "How old is he now?" His sudden growth spurt had distracted Klaus and Stefan.

Matty was taller and blonder, and Caroline wondered if the shops were open, so she could buy him more clothes.

"Five, and counting. Father, I gave my blood to Stefan to help him. Mother, it was my choice, and it is done now. If we must leave here, then we should, because it will help Stefan. Besides, I want to see where I born." He sat down next to Caroline. "We should hunt for food." He grinned, and raced out the door, followed by his mother. "GET BACK HERE THIS MINUTE MATTHEW FOBRES! DO YOU THINK I'LL JUST LET YOU OUT OF THIS HOUSE AFTER THAT?!"

"I'm hungry!" Matty whined but Caroline had caught him by the elbow. She looked furious, but there was no sign of fear. After much talking, explaining and reasoning, it was decided that they would go for a hunt - Stefan put his foot down when it came to what exactly they would hunt, but all were too exhausted and hungry and needed the rest of their energy to return to Mystic Falls.

0o0o

Elena and Liz were tucked inside the stationary truck as rain pelted against its windows, and the boys were outside of it, fixing the flat tyre. "How's it going down there?" Elena shouted over the noise of the rain. Liz checked her phone messages, hoping for news of Caroline.

"Very wet!" Alaric shouted back. "Almost got the tyre on! We should be right to stay the night in Rover Down Motel, then we can call Damon and figure out what to do next." Alaric wiped his wet hand down his face. _Getting out of Mystic Falls had been the easy part - but what did that leave them to do with their lives? To be forever on the run? _

Elena peered at Liz's phone. "Anything?" she asked. Liz who shook her head. "Nothing, no reception, no messages." Elena could see the anguish in Liz's eyes. She wanted Caroline back as much as Liz did.

"We shouldn't have left them." Leaving Damon had only strengthened her feelings for him. "I promised Damon, we'd face thins together, I can't do that from here."

Liz trusted Damon but sitting in the rain in a deserted backstreet seemed more dangerous than fighting Elijah and a Hybrid army. Jeremy and Alaric bustled about the truck, and the flat tyre was thrown unceremoniously into the boot, on top of their duffel bags. Alaric and Jeremy climbed into the front seat, shivering, soaked to the bone but relieved the job was done.

"I think you're right." Liz turned to Elena and patted her knee; they couldn't stay away. Mystic Falls needed them, it was their home, and Damon needed their help. Alaric turned on the engine.

"What's that Liz?" he asked, as Jeremy turned around to see them in the back seat.

"We're turning back-" Elena said.

"-but Damon'll kill us." Jeremy interrupted. "He said, Bonnie's handling it."

Elena sighed. "Bonnie's powerful, but I can't just sit here doing nothing, Jer, and neither can Liz."

Liz agreed, "I know Damon meant well, but think about it, what good are we to Mystic Falls if we're outside of it? I know he thinks he can handle it, but we need to save him from himself - he can't be the one to always save us, and I'm still the Sherriff, even if I don't have my star, so you have to do what I say."

Elena beamed. She would be there if and when Damon and Bonnie needed her and she would fight Elijah and the Hybrids because Mystic Falls was her home.

0o0o

Damon tracked Caroline's perfume to Bumbling Crook; an English moor surrounded a classic manor with hundreds of windows and ivy crawling up the side. He didn't expect to find Caroline teaching a young boy how to suck the blood from a large hare, nor Stefan and Rebekah in the middle of an argument (about what exactly happened the night she woke up alone in his bed and what Klaus had seen of her naked body) and Klaus admiring the scenery with Katherine and remembering the old days, as though no attempted sacrifice or betrayal had occurred between them. He clenched his teeth in frustration. "What is this, some sort of celebration? Bonnie's killing herself trying to destroy Elijah; Elena, Alaric, Liz and Jeremy are on the run and you guys are having a picnic?! Why am I always the one to save the day?"He looked at the boy by Caroline's side with furrowed brows. _This couldn't be her son, he was at least five? What happened to him?_

"Damon," Caroline said, coolly. "Meet my son, Matthew. Or Matty, as we call him now." She held onto Matty's shoulder. Matty could tell Damon was different to Stefan, Caroline didn't trust him like she did Stefan. Matty put out his hand to shake but Damon said, "Speaking of Matt Donovan, remember him? I just came from his and Tyler's graveside and wanted to remind you what is at stake here: all of our lives are in danger if Bonnie dies and Elijah walks free."

He seemed to have made an effect on Caroline who looked guilty when he mentioned both Matt and Tyler's names. _They had been her boyfriends after all, and what exactly was she doing with Klaus, of all vampires? Didn't he want to create a Hybrid Army to destroy Elijah and kill anyone who got in his way? Why were they playing happy families?_

Katherine pushed past Klaus and stood in front of Damon with a confused expression, "But Jeremy stabbed Elijah? And you buried him didn't you?"

Damon sighed. "Carol Lockwood resurrected him. It seems Elijah decided he'd experiment with Tyler's blood to make a Hybrid army he could control and use against Klaus. Carol and her deputies kidnapped Liz, tortured Jeremy and Alaric and discovered the truth from _The Gilbert Journals_."

Thinking of her mother in trouble made her feel sick. Matty held her hand, sensing her anxiety.

"Elijah's Sherriff and Mayor - he murdered Carol Lockwood and her deputies when they revolted and Bonnie needs Matty's blood to destroy him." He looked at Stefan for a long moment. _Wasn't he meant to have persuaded Caroline? Weren't they friends after all? Or had he fallen so much in love with Rebekah that he had forgotten what was important. _

"Where's my mum?" She hadn't seen Liz since Tyler compelled her to leave, before she had Matty. Everything that mattered had been pushed to the back of her mind. She had been kidding herself thinking what her son needed was just love and affection. Hiding from her life wasn't going to make her forget who sacrificed themselves for her. Pretending she was okay with everything wasn't going to make her a better mother. _Dealing with her issues would._

"We have to go." Caroline told Klaus. Klaus took her hand.

"What did you do to her?" Damon growled. _He and Klaus had history: maybe unfinished business? What he did to Elena and Stefan was beyond forgiveness. _

"Caroline and I have a connection. I wouldn't try to kill me if I was you: you'll kill Matty if you do."

Caroline and Rebekah cried out when Damon tried to kill him - Klaus swatted his hand away like it was a fly. Damon wasn't going to win, but he'd darn well try to make some sort of impression. Klaus slammed Damon into the mud where Katherine dodged him - her Gucci boots did not need to be re-coloured. "I don't trust you." Damon admitted. Stefan prised Damon's hands from Klaus' neck.

"He's right, Damon. Let us explain," he said.

"You're bluffing." Damon's eyes were bright and cocky. Stefan pulled Damon back until he raised his hands. If Klaus and Matty were linked, only Bonnie could do something about it. Klaus rubbed his neck and Caroline made sure he was ok before defending Klaus.

"It's true. When Tyler died, Klaus took his place. You're right Damon - we have to give Matty the best life possible. I need to know Mum's ok. Matty doesn't even know what she looks like and we can't run from Elijah our whole lives." She lifted Matty onto her hip, "You are getting too big for me to carry like this."

Damon grudgingly, put his differences aside because what mattered, was getting Matty's blood and destroying Elijah for good. He'd also promised Liz he'd bring Caroline home. "Liz, Alaric, Jeremy and Elena are safe. They're going to call me when they've settled away from Mystic Falls. We couldn't take any chances. Elijah's fake hybrids could be anywhere and leaving might have just saved their lives."

"Or it could single them out." Damon narrowed his eyes. Klaus shrugged, "Well, it's true. What's stopping the hybrids from following them? It only takes one to rip out their hearts."

"So Matty's blood will kill Elijah, but the Hybrid curse is what we need to free Klaus. We just don't know what it will do to Matty." Stefan pulled out the phial and Klaus took it eagerly.

"Bonnie will know, at least shouldn't she? She is a witch ." Katherine stated, as they crossed Iceland and Denmark and entered Canada.

"Tell me more about destroying the Hybrid curse." Klaus asked Damon. From what Bonnie had told him, even she wasn't sure of what it would do: _Matty relied on his Hybrid self to feed on his mother's blood and now he was older he was able to feast on animal blood. If Klaus was his protector, then each was sired to the other and both would need the other to survive. Elijah had said Matty would not transform into a werewolf until he hit puberty, but this might be any minute considering Matty was growing at a fast rate? Destroying the Hybrid part of Klaus would make him just an Original vampire like Rebekah, but what would it do to Matty?_

Klaus turned to Caroline to ask her thoughts as they entered America. Everything was building up in Caroline's mind: Matty, Elena, Bonnie, Liz. She needed to talk to someone about what she was feeling, without getting caught up in **KLAUS **and forgetting what mattered. "I'm not sure. I don't like the idea of it hurting my baby, but I want Elijah dead. I would hate for Matty to suffer transformations each full moon. If there's a way to destroy the Hybrid curse then I'm keen."

Rebekah held out her talisman. "And I want to destroy the Hybrid curse. I've seen how it tortures Nik and I want him to feel peace." Klaus smiled gratefully, "Katherine obtained Elijah's blood in our last attack - all we need is Bonnie's help to destroy my necklace."

"I've got Elena's blood," Damon added, receiving a strange look from Stefan, and ignoring it. "W just need a distraction so Bonnie can concentrate on the spell. I've got the dagger dipped in white ash - if we put it in Matty's blood it should kill Elijah."

"Vampires can't touch the blade, unless they have gloves or-" Katherine said quickly and Damon handed Klaus two bandages, letting Klaus wrap up his hands and take the knife. Caroline felt a sense of relief, knowing that soon - both her boys might be free of the curse.

"Bonnie has him in the Police station," Damon recalled, as they walked through the empty streets of Mystic Falls. Caroline held onto Matty's hand, feeling him tuck himself close, and she heard Klaus say at last, "Let's finish Elijah once and for all."

**A/N: Please review. **


	11. Bonnie's Spell

**A/N: This is the same story, I've just edited it, and shortened the long chapters to make it easier to read. Updated: 21/11/13.**

**Bonnie's Spell**

**11.**

Bonnie felt Esther's voice pounding in her ears, and the shield that kept her protected, wavered. _Any minute now, Damon would bring reinforcements._ She raised her arms above her head and shots of electricity surged through her veins. Her voice rasped and her spell faulted. Elijah's burnt flesh clasped her foot through the flames ."I shall break your leg, and every bone in your interfering body!" he sneered.

The flames faded and she woke in a pool of sticky blood, surrounded by crusty bodies. Elijah stepped out of the circle and lifted his foot to crush her ribcage. She cast a spell so that she escaped his intentions and splintered the window's glass, showering it down on him. Elijah fisted the wall; cracking it into pieces so it opened and Bonnie could see it was dusk. She had been fighting him for several hours and was growing weak. _Where the hell were the others? _She twirled on the spot, turning the bullets Elijah fired at her into butterflies and infuriating him even more.

A third pair of footsteps echoed across the collapsed building, crunching on the fragments of glass and interrupting the Witch and Original, with a the simple greeting: "Hello brother." Klaus smiled, taking in Elijah's appearance. His hair had bits of ceiling in it, his skin: crusty - almost burnt from the flames Bonnie had created. Elijah's voice was hoarse and he looked almost dead. It seemed to Klaus, Esther was trying to make things right. Rebekah had spoken the truth when she said Esther regretted turning him into a Hybrid. Elijah raised himself to his feet. "Finally stopped running have you Klaus? Finally decided to finish our little duel?"

Klaus picked up the crumbling bricks, hoping to clobber his brother in the head. Elijah picked up another table leg and appeared behind Bonnie who was too weak to protect herself. Rebekah grabbed the wooden stake before Elijah could do any damage and kicked him in the stomach so he careened through the glass and slammed into the opposite wall. Elijah turned to see Caroline, Matty, Damon and Stefan standing nearby, watching them fight. He smirked, whistling so only Klaus and Matty heard. Several dogs howled in the neighbourhood, unsettled.

Figures emerged, surrounding the police station, hybrids Klaus had already turned using Elena's blood; their yellow eyes glowered in the dark. "You should really protect your belongings, Klaus. They obey me like I'm their owner - these dogs will do anything I tell them." Elijah whistled and Rebekah let out a yell as the compelled hybrids attacked them. Caroline moved Matty behind her, he stared at the creatures with wide frightened eyes. They lumbered at them; hands flailing. Caroline's fangs burst from her gums, attacking the nearest two. Damon ripped his teeth into one's neck.

"Mind the boots!" Katherine hissed as his victim collapsed to the ground - its heart beating outside of it. She ripped off a particularly ugly Hybrid's arm, in the process of doing some sort of ballet dance as blood spurted from the ones Damon and Stefan attacked. "Stefan, if you deliberately try and ruin my boots, you will be the one paying for them." Katherine hissed as Stefan pushed a headless Hybrid into her.

Damon's mobile rang and he whipped it out, knowing who it was, but fighting off a two Hybrid's who were eager to rip him in two. "Damon." He announced, as Katherine's fangs tore through a Hybrid's throat and it let out an agonising scream, and Stefan ripped it's heart out before moving straight onto the next threat. Caroline held tightly onto Matty and turned to see Rebekah and Klaus having as much difficulty trying to pin Elijah down.

"It's Elena."

"Put Alaric on!" Damon hissed, before she realised what exactly was happening. He didn't need her regretting her decision to go.

"Damon what's that noise-" Katherine growled as a Hybrid collapsed on her feet and vomited, crawling though his own blood, trying to escape - her shoes were destroyed - she elbowed the next Hybrid that tried to attack her from behind and Stefan kicked one in the head.

"Where are you?" Damon said urgently. "Did you get out of Mystic Falls?"

There was a pause and Elena said, "Yes."

Damon sighed. "Good, then stay put. I'll come and get you when things have cooled down." Damon punched a Hybrid in the gut, as Stefan took over, killing it quickly. They were still surrounded by at least forty. "Damon, I love you." She wanted to tell him they were coming, that he wasn't alone in fighting this. From the sounds of it, he needed help. _They all did._

"Stay safe," and he hung up, praying she wasn't about to do anything stupid He wished Klaus would hurry up and kill Elijah, this whole thing was a sibling dispute after all. Stefan grinned in his direction, as Katherine tried to wipe Hybrid vomit off her expensive boots and Damon fought the feeling of pushing her head first into the ground - there was no time for revenge though, a second wave of threats started toward them.

The Originals tore the building apart: walls collapsed, ceilings dropped and the station was beyond repair. Bonnie crawled out of the wreckage. With the last of hers and Esther's strength she picked up a handful of dirt, blew it from her palm and let the grains of dirt transform into large balls of fire, setting the building alight. All the paperwork was destroyed. The Originals were out in the open now. Rebekah launched onto Elijah's back, trying to hold him still so Klaus could knife him.

Klaus carried Matty's deadly blood in his pants. If it spilled and touched his skin - he could die. Matty had changed him - allowed him to love. Klaus had a chance to be a better vampire, like Damon had learned and Stefan before him. Damon had given him the knife dipped in ash and Klaus used his bandaged hand as a precaution, gripping it tightly.

"You can't save them all," Elijah hissed, wrenching back Klaus' arm and forcing his face into dirt. Klaus flung him off him and ducked as silver bullets whizzed past him. Elijah pulled her off easily so she slammed into a hybrid witness. Rebekah tore its heart out in one simple movement, while Klaus flung the phial containing Matty's blood to her and she brought it to an exhausted Bonnie, tearing off her necklace - her gift from her mother - and pouring over Matty's blood where it became clump of silver dust.

"They are _sired_ to me, not you!" Klaus shouted.

"Really? Then why do they obey me? I guess you've grown soft, Klaus. You always were." Elijah barrelled into Klaus, squeezing his brother's throat, enjoying his gasps of complaint while the dagger slipped from his grasp.

Klaus spluttered. "She loved me more than you. You were jealous of what I had, with Ma, with Father and with our brothers and Rebekah. You hated how Esther treated you, so you made me look bad. You betrayed me. You are not my brother. I disowned you." Klaus lunged with the knife, dipped in Matty's blood. "This is for Caroline." He rammed the dagger into Elijah's chest and forced his brother to the ground. "You were wrong Elijah - you were the one that couldn't love. I know what you did to Katerina, she told me how you treated her."

Elijah snorted. "You are incapable of love."

Klaus shook his head with a smirk, "Maybe I forgot for a time, but not now. It feels grand! But you will never get the chance to ruin it for me." Elijah pushed away Klaus' wrist but he leant on the hilt and it pierced his Elijah's suit, sinking further. "Dog, you shall never be free." Then he went rigid and Matty's blood gushed out of his wound. His skin petered off into black ash and Klaus looked at it grimly, he watched swirl around an exhausted Bonnie Bennett, and he lowered the dagger beside him where an emotional Rebekah hugged him tightly. His eyes fell on Bonnie's face as she poured Damon's phial of Elena's blood into the other (already containing Rebekah's necklace and Matty's blood) making it emit yellow smoke. She rose, as though she was recharged, emptying Elijah's blood into the mix, making it turn a blue.

The others were battling the other Hybrids and he sat there, entranced by Bonnie's gaze. Rebekah pulled apart distracted, and she saw Klaus' bandage slip from his hand and his skin touched the blade as though something had helped it. Rebekah caught Klaus' unconscious body. "KLAUS!" Rebekah saw a revengeful Bonnie standing above her.

"What did you do?!" Rebekah screamed. There was a similar panic in Caroline who had bent over an unconscious Matty as Katherine protected them. Bonnie raised her hands, shielding herself and stopping anyone from interfering. A similar shield protected both Matty and Klaus individually. Rebekah watched helplessly as the phial raised itself in the air in front of her and Bonnie's eyes turned opaque. Her chants channelled Esther's power and she could cast spells for a minimum of three hours without a nose-bleed. She didn't want to make Klaus' life any easier but she had decided to unlike Caroline and Matthew. Bonnie used the deaths of the Hybrid army for extra power, choking them in their own blood, until their eyes glowed like torches and they burst into flames.

"NO!" Rebekah screamed, afraid for Klaus. "I'LL KILL HER!" Klaus and Matty writhed beneath her spell, as Rebekah and Caroline tried to break the shields in desperation. Stefan could make out the words Bonnie was chanting and he looked up, the grey clouds parted and he saw a full moon: _Klaus was trying to transform! _Matty was mimicking his father, just as Elijah warned. _Did Bonnie have other intentions for Klaus? Or was she trying to destroy the Hybrid curse?_

Beneath moonlight,

an Original's curse shall be relinquished.

No longer prisoners: Esther has granted

Niklaus - purity. Let his son also find peace: cursed

with the gene to make one old.

Matthew Forbes will stay unique, but

he hath not found his true self.

Ageless shall he be, though none shall

outsmart him. Let Esther's words break

this curse - Talisman; doppelganger's blood and

blood of the creator - may these

contribute to the destruction of the Hybrid.

Klaus and Matthew shall live: Original vampires!

Loved always, by Caroline Forbes.

Thick black hair sprouted across both Matty and Klaus' bodies and they were lifted into the air where they hovered inside Bonnie's sphere. She reached out, dipping her fingers into the liquid and wiped it across their foreheads. Their eyes sparked yellow, rolling back into their heads; their bones elongated and twisted; the werewolf's hair resided and they were deposited onto the asphalt. Bonnie had done the spell as written in the _grimoire_ and even she didn't know whether it would work, or fool them all. Lastly, she poured a drop of the concoction into each of their open mouths and relaxed when both stirred.

Stefan steadied her gently and he took the empty phial from her hand. "Thank you for not killing Klaus." Bonnie sighed, holding her head. _She needed rest._ "Rebekah would never have forgiven you for it." Rebekah hugged Klaus and Caroline raced to Matty, muttering words of comfort. Klaus turned to Rebekah. "Hello Sweetheart," he said.

"How are you feeling?"

"You look terrible." Stefan added, unable to help himself. Klaus chuckled, he felt fine. Lighter. He was free of his werewolf gene. He wiped his sweat on his shirt and Rebekah turned up her nose in disgust. "I feel free, Bekah... Peaceful." And he stared up at the full moon, turning his hands around. _The witch's spell had worked - he was not cursed. Elijah was gone. Forever, this time._

He and Caroline Forbes had shared something. Memories flooded his mind; every touch, kiss, erotic thought entered his mind - they had had chemistry but now Matty was no longer sired to him; he could look at Caroline and actually keep his thoughts; Matty wasn't controlling him or encouraging him to act on his instincts to ravish her immediately. He watched as she put her hand on Matty's shoulder and he could see it in her eyes: she had realised the same thing. _Their connection was gone. Had destroying the Hybrid curse destroyed their relationship? Had it ever truly been a relationship? _He took her hand, hoping for some sort of spark: but nothing. _What they had was gone_.

Caroline let of his hand. The curse had lifted and they had been given their answer: their love had not been real, there was no point denying it. The only thing they had now was an understanding. "Goodbye Klaus," she said. _Everything that had happened had been forced on them._

"Goodbye love," Klaus said. Even Matty sensed things were different. He could no longer affect Caroline nor Klaus through their feelings, nor did he feel that Klaus belonged to them.

Bonnie broke the awkward silence."The spell had to be done while it was full moon, before Klaus could transform. Once the Hybrid part was destroyed, you became only vampires and therefore Matthew was no longer sired to Klaus. Matthew cannot influence your feelings. You are both free to make your own decisions." Caroline and Klaus nodded. "Now would someone kindly fill me in on what's been happening? Where's Jeremy?" Bonnie asked. Last she'd seen he'd been dying on the floor. Damon told her he was safe, with Liz, Alaric and Elena.

Rebekah stared at Caroline, relieved that Klaus was alright, but sad to witness their loss. She had never really liked Caroline, still, whatever had happened between her brother and Caroline, it was now over, and Klaus needed her. _They could finally move on with their lives._

"What do we do now?" Matty asked Caroline. Everything they had done was to protect themselves from Elijah - now he was gone, they actually were able to remember what life (death) had been like beforehand. Caroline knew where she wanted to go; being released from Klaus opened her mind and she knew she would be fine, raising Matty on her own. "You need to meet your real father." Caroline said, pulling Matty by the hand and requesting Damon's assistance. "Then you shall meet your grandmother." She looked over her shoulder at Klaus, who gave her friendly smile, before making his own plans.

Klaus put his arm around his sister and started in the opposite direction. "I never got to open that bar of mine in Chicago, coming Stefan?" Klaus grinned, "It was our plan after all, friend." Stefan started. _Was he serious?_ _After everything he put him through?_ "Bekah?" Klaus started down the street, smiling to himself. Rebekah launched herself into Stefan's arms in a tight embrace, when she broke off she whispered, "I'm in love with you Stefan Salvatore and I can understand if you want to stay in Mystic Falls, but I can't leave Klaus. You're most welcome to visit us." She smiled, running her finger down his cheek, but in no way teasing him - It was a goodbye kiss - Stefan had to choose what really mattered in his life - love or friendship. _Elena or Rebekah?_ Since Stefan regained control of his own body he had been reluctant to forgive Klaus for trying to turn him into someone he had been so ashamed of, but he had a choice: forgive Klaus and move on with the love of his life, or hold onto grudge and lose Rebekah to someone else?

Stefan watched as they walked away and Damon grabbed his brother. "As much as I find Klaus slightly dodgy: you love Rebekah! Don't stay around here moping after her Stefan, it will drive me insane." He sighed when Stefan didn't budge. "I'll always be your big brother and I'll find you if I need you, but for now, go, have some fun." And he shook him, trying to shake some sense into his big head.

Katherine stood beside them: "He's right. If you're staying for me, don't. I rather like being single, that way nobody slows me down." Katherine said indifferently; the truth was, she would always love Stefan, both had moved on, and she would too. There was plenty of time to find someone who understood her, for who she was, but it wasn't Stefan or Damon, and it wasn't Klaus. _Whoever she was destined to be with, hadn't arrived in her life, just yet._ Damon raised his eyebrows, who stood there, with her hands on her hips - so unlike Elena.

"Would you go already!" Damon huffed. It was clear Stefan didn't want to leave him.

"Elena's moved on," Katherine said, not so subtly. Damon saw it did have an effect.

"Take care of Elena, and I wish you two the best of luck."

"Take care of yourself, brother." Damon hugged him.

Stefan grinned, he'd be back someday but for now it was Chicago that needed him and he opening a bar with Klaus had been a dream of the 1920s. Klaus had been his friend, almost a brother at times and now he was different; free of the Hybrid curse; both friends could start anew. He ran after Rebekah, sliding his hand into her palm and Klaus looked delighted. "As long as I get half the proceeds I'm in, _brother_." Stefan said, putting his hand on Klaus' shoulder. It had been a long time since Klaus had heard Stefan say that. Their past was full of betrayals, lies and hurt, but now he was ready to live an adventure.

Rebekah tutted. "I expect to get a share in this: a third, at least."

"Are you kidding me? Like I'm sharing anything with you lot." Klaus laughed ducking each Rebekah and Stefan's punches. He laughed when he took in Rebekah's glowing features - she hadn't been this happy since they were children. Stefan seemed head over heels in love with her and he had mended his future depended on the choices he made then and now. _Caroline had taught him that._

"So are we just going to ignore everything that happened between you and Caroline?" Stefan said after a minute. "Because, from what we saw of the state of the couch, you're sex life is going to be pretty uneventful in future." Stefan grinned, jokingly, ignoring Rebekah who started making gagging sounds and plugged her fingers in her ears.

Klaus stopped, "I don't feel anything for her. I'm not going to pretend everything is like it was - yeah it was amazing and great sex but -" He made a face, "We both knew it was over when the Hybrid curse was destroyed. It took away how we felt about the other, which makes sense because it was controlling us. And while we're talking of sex - can you and Rebekah buy some soundproof doors so I can't hear you next time you decide to do it."

Unfortunately Rebekah had chosen that moment to unplug her ears and she looked even more horrified, blushing a deep shade of magenta. Stefan clapped him on the back.

"I'll buy you some ear plugs."

"First one to Chicago gets their feet massaged!" Rebekah yelled suddenly and disappeared.

"I almost want to leave her in Chicago and alter course," Klaus returned and Stefan laughed.

"How is it that it feels like it used to be with us? There's all this history, terrible things that we've both done and yet, we can laugh, like it didn't affect us-" Stefan questioned, thinking aloud.

"-because we've lived longer than any human and grudges ruin us. It's best to move on and do things that make us happy. Like opening a bar with a friend." Klaus said, grinning broadly.

"What makes you happy?" Stefan asked curiously.

"Adventure. My Sister. Family. You?" Klaus smirked, ruffling Stefan's hair so that it stuck up in every direction. Stefan ducked when he tried to mess it up a second time and Rebekah arrived tapping her foot. "You two are idiots!" Klaus and Stefan exchanged looks, thinking the same thing, _no, brothers._

0o0o

When Liz and the others finally arrived in Mystic Falls they were shocked to see it was almost dawn and the police station was in ruins, burnt to the ground, with any paperwork and evidence with it. They drove to the Salvatore Boarding house in a hope to find someone they knew, hoping their friends were still alive. Elena dumped her bag in the hall and raced into the living room - there was Damon's tray of bourbon untouched, books lay open on the couch and she ran into his room. It was empty and still. She touched his bed, picking up his leather jacket as the only token left and held it tight before almost falling down the stairs in the haste to enter the gardens. She tripped over the shovel Damon had left on the lawn and a tirade of swear words left her mouth, leaving Alaric and Liz in surprise. Jeremy picked her up and pointed to the graves that lay together where four figures stood, one smaller than the others.

Before Elena could interrupt, Caroline turned and Liz gasped in surprise as her daughter came running towards her. Katherine held onto Matty's hand and Damon turned to see Elena looking at him with such passion that all he could do was greet her immediately, hugging and kissing her until they were interrupted by Jeremy's shout. Katherine looked confused as the young Gilbert pointed to the two graves nervously. _What was he seeing, ghosts?_

"What is it?" Alaric said, steadying Jeremy.

"What do you see?" Elena asked, breaking away from Damon to grab her brother's wrist. "Is it Anna?" Jeremy shook his head slowly. He had shut Anna out of his life when he'd realised how stupid he'd been in kissing her, and ruining what he had with Bonnie. The people he saw now, were old friends, with a message to those they loved.

Standing there, were Matt and Tyler, in the clothes they had been wearing when they were killed; both staring at Matty in awe. Matt Donavan pulled Tyler Lockwood close, steadying him as his lips trembled. "That's my son isn't it?" Jeremy ignored Elena's desperate tugs and the others' frantic questions. "Tell her I'm proud of him, and tell her I'll love them forever." Tyler told him. He waited, while Jeremy passed on his message. Caroline held her hand over her mouth to stifle her sobs while Elena and Liz comforted her. Matty walked up to Jeremy and took his hand.

"It's ok Daddy. You don't have to worry about her anymore. I know what to do." Tyler kneeled down, and touched Matty's shoulder as Jeremy dictated his message. "I love you son, make sure you protect your mummy. I'll be watching." Matty shivered, almost as though he'd felt his father touch him. Jeremy squeezed his hand comfortingly and Matty promised.

"What's happening?" Elena asked. Damon grabbed her round the waist so Jeremy could do his job. She settled eventually but he didn't let go.

"He's here isn't he?" Liz whispered, brushing Caroline's hair from her tear-stained face. Tyler bent down in front of Caroline and kissed her forehead tenderly. She stopped crying, feeling his presence but unable to hear or see him as Jeremy could. "He's saying goodbye," Jeremy explained. Caroline reached out in front of her, hoping to feel him. Tyler returned to Matt, it was his turn to say goodbye.

Matt smiled at Matty, taking a step towards them. "Tell him, he was named after an ordinary human, that his mummy was his best friend, and he didn't regret anything that happened between them. Tell him, we'll always be here to talk to, and we will always love them." Jeremy repeated Matt's words and Matt shook Jeremy's hand. "Death's not that bad, you know."

Jeremy didn't want to let go. Ever since he was resurrected, he was able to speak to the dead. He was able to feel their touch, talk to them. It made him feel useful. Like he was part of something more. Jeremy hugged him tightly, trying hard not to break down. Matt had been his friend too. "Suck it up, Gilbert. It's not like I won't be here to talk to. I want to know when you and Bonnie mend your relationship. You know she's waiting for you to make the first movie. Girls are like that." Matt said, pulling apart. Jeremy sniffed back tears and Tyler shook his hand. "Same here, I expect full reports on Caroline and my son. Take care Gilbert." Jeremy wiped his eyes, looking down at Matty who beamed up at him. He watched both Tyler and Matt sink back into their graves just as the sun began to rise.

Jeremy turned to face them, all waiting eagerly to hear what had happened. Jeremy stared at them; there was Elena wrapped in Damon's arms; Liz and Caroline and Matty were back together, with so many stories to share and a lifetime to tell them; Stefan had left Mystic Falls to be with Rebekah and Klaus; Matt and Tyler were finally at peace; Alaric waited in the background, almost as though he felt out of place, when in fact, he was welcome; he was family now. Jeremy's eyes fell on Katherine, the splitting image of his sister, except in more stylish clothes. She looked lonely, but she was there, part of their strange bunch: vampires and humans; mothers and daughters; friends and enemies. Maybe they needed each other more than they let on. Maybe, this was how it was meant to be.

**A/N: Please review.**


	12. Reunited

**A/N: Hi everyone, thanks so much for reading my first ever vampire fic. I've had so much fun writing it and reading your reviews. This will be the last chapter of **_**Believe the Unexpected**_** but let me say thank you to all my faithful readers your responses have meant a lot. To quote Klaus "Ta lovelies." CrAZychicke xx**

**Reunited**

**12**

_A Year Later_

Elena rushed down the stairs carrying her phone, receiving a 'your hopeless' look from her boyfriend. Damon sighed, pulled her out the door by her hand and took her face in his hands. His lips pressed against hers gently then passionately and she melted against him. _This really wasn't the time, Alaric was going to kill her, they were so late already. _He broke off before Elena's fingers could brush through his hair. He grinned, "Jeremy's already in the car. Why do you always forget things?"

Elena shrugged, "Just hopeless, I guess."

"Hmmm," he said, leaving a kiss on her cheek, pulling her after him, and depositing her into the car.

When they arrived, Alaric was suited up - tie and all, practicing his speech. Elena hurried up to greet him as Damon gave him a wave and a smirk. Alaric gave him one in return, looking out at all those people who had come to support him, who had voted and celebrated with him when he became mayor of Mystic Falls. A lot had happened in a year. He had moved into the Gilbert house and become their guardian. Even if Elena was old enough to be Jeremy's guardian, he felt like those kids were his.

Elena fixed his tie. "You're on in five. You'll be great!" She encouraged.

"That's easy for you to say, I was never a good public speaker."

"You deserve this, Alaric." She gave him a tight squeeze and sat down in the chairs, reserved for family seating. What was left of the Founding families and the council sat beside her. Alaric had won them over in his election speech and many of them trusted him. It felt strange, even after a year of ceremonies, elections and campaigns. _Alaric was mayor._

Elena saw Damon in the front row. He had found Liz, in her Sherriff uniform. The old police station had been demolished and they'd said it was an electrical fault, but only they knew the truth. The station was converted into a memorial for Carol Lockwood and several of her deputies who were believed to have died in the fire. Liz asked for the Police station to be built in a new location.

Caroline and Matty stood proudly beside her. Matty was dressed in a newly purchased blue shirt and black pants; looking very smart and handsome and Caroline wore a long blue dress. Her hair was done up, in a sleek bun and she caught Elena's eye, giving her a wave.

Elena's gaze moved on and she saw Bonnie, standing to the side of the others, staring out into the distance, as though looking for someone. It was thanks to Bonnie that they were all standing there, alive. She had done a miraculous thing that night, killing Elijah had not been easy; neither had destroying the hybrids and saving the vampires or destroying the Hybrid curse and saving both Matty and Klaus. Bonnie was now the most powerful witch in existence. The past year she had began to mentor other witches, but she and Jeremy never got back together after that night.

Elena saw Jeremy at the end of Bonnie's gaze. He had a new girlfriend. It still made her feel slightly uneasy, but after the year he had, she wanted him to be happy too. Five year old, Matty was very fond of his Uncle Jeremy and Aunt Katherine. Jeremy dropped Matty to the ground and took Katherine's hand. He had told her, she wasn't all games. She had suffered like them all, at the hands of Elijah, and he saw Katherine Pierce in a different light.

He loved Elena because she was his adopted sister, but he also saw their differences, as though Katherine was a lost identical twin. She was fiery, sassy and funny but mostly she was vulnerable. _She let him in_. Their relationship had happened over time, after becoming close friends, they'd fallen in love, surprising the others. Jeremy would never have thought that he'd be dating Katherine Pierce; had gone from hating her; wanting to kill her - to wanting her. _Life was weird._

Damon said goodbye to Liz and joined Elena on the platform where Alaric was testing the microphone, he kissed her in greeting. "You're still not comfortable with Jeremy dating Katherine, are you?" She couldn't hide anything from Damon. Alaric took the podium. His speech was just as magnificent as his last and as he left the podium, feeling like he'd made a difference, he stopped in his tracks. The crowd parted for Stefan Salvatore. "What, you thought I'd miss this celebration? You've got to be joking." Behind him stood Rebekah and Klaus, his business partners and friends.

Rebekah was all dolled up and glamorous. She was wearing a pretty white lace dress and silver jewellery with the most magnificent pink heels that made Katherine mutter, "Bitch!" in jealousy, Jeremy chuckled, kissing her cheek and telling her to 'shh'. Alaric nodded to the Founding Families, telling them to carry on without him, while he caught up with old friends.

"What are you doing back in Mystic Falls?" Bonnie asked, it was clear she hadn't expected them back for another fifty years or ever. Klaus smiled, smugly, "We thought we'd come and visit. You see the bar was doing so well and all, Stefan here wanted to celebrate, and he rather missed you lot. Bekah and I couldn't stand anymore of his whining." Stefan shot him a dark look. Klaus' gaze fell on Matty and Caroline and his smile faltered. He had tried to forget about them, but it was impossible. The memories they had shared were still part of him, never to be forgotten. "We won't be staying long." He added, as if it was an inconvenience to them.

Caroline stared back. They had said their goodbyes, they had moved on. _So why had neither of them moved on? _ They had agreed, they both felt nothing. Caroline admired, Klaus' appearance; he was wearing suit pants and a high-collared navy shirt and black jacket. He was slightly unshaven, and wore several necklaces he had accumulated over the years, but she realised she had never asked him where he had gotten them from. _If nothing had happened between them that was real, why, when she looked at him, could she remember how he made her feel with each memory? And did he feel?_

Klaus had been right when he'd said they weren't staying long; after Stefan had finished with his greetings, they left. Caroline guessed Mystic Falls didn't hold many happy memories for any of them. Liz needed to get back to the station and Alaric needed to get on with the paperwork. The afterparty was at Damon's. This seemed to always be the case. Damon also had a vault full of blood bags, it was easier to eat from these during the day. Matty was getting better at hunting, he was a fast learner, and often a show-off, like his father had been.

Caroline was first to help herself to a whisky. It helped with her nerves. She couldn't take her thoughts of Klaus_. What was wrong with her? _She watched Matty sit on the carpet, dealing a set of cards. Her son was smarter than them all. Jeremy had taught him several card games, his favourites being _Spit, Go Fish, Snap_ and _Cheat_. Katherine picked up her set, and smiled over at Jeremy, "You better watch out Matty, because I'm totally going to win this round."

Damon and Elena sat on the couch. Bonnie stood by the window. Caroline thought it was probably still awkward for her to be in the same room as her ex-boyfriend and Katherine. She walked over to her, thinking she'd want to talk. "Are you OK?" Caroline pressed. "What are you thinking?

Bonnie admitted, "I'm wondering whether I should tell you something I should have told you a long time ago." Bonnie's eyes turned opaque. Nobody seemed to notice except Caroline. She was chanting over and over.

Klaus and Matthew shall live: Original vampires!

Loved always, by Caroline Forbes.

Caroline wondered what it all meant. _Was Esther possessing her? What was she trying to tell her? _

"Bonnie!" Caroline shouted, trying to pull her hands free. "Bonnie, you're scaring me! What are you doing? What does this mean?"

Bonnie could see him. She had watched Caroline cope by herself for a year. She had let him go, trying to do what was right for her son, Matty. Had Bonnie interfered when she should have let things be? Was interfering with destiny why she hadn't been given a second chance with Jeremy? She thought she had done Caroline a favour. _Klaus didn't deserve her love._

But what really mattered now? Love? Happiness? Friendship? Family? Caroline had told her she couldn't forget what she and Klaus had shared, she saw the memories vividly. Bonnie might have confiscated their emotions, but they were still connected by memories. She had seen the vision more than once that year. Bonnie repeated the lines again, this time adding to it and Caroline listened, making sense of it all.

Klaus and Matthew shall live: Original vampires!

Loved always, by Caroline Forbes.

_But no emotions, shall they feel; their connection _

_blamed on the Hybrid curse. Klaus and_

_Caroline shall be free of each other._

Bonnie let go of Caroline's hand's abruptly and she seemed apologetic. "I thought Klaus was dangerous. I didn't want you to be with him. I know I was wrong to interfere. _I'm sorry_." Caroline felt a cold gust of wind surround her. Bonnie stared out the window. _The_ _first part of her vision was coming true: it was raining_.

That whole year Caroline had struggled with memories of Klaus, thinking something was wrong with her, and it had been. Bonnie had lied to her for a year. "Don't you dare touch me! How can I trust you after that? You did this to me? Matty could have had a father? What kind of friend are you?" Caroline shouted, alerting the others.

"I was trying to protect you. I thought I was doing the right thing but I knew it was wrong as soon as I saw my vision."

"Don't speak to me." Caroline raised her hand, stop cut her off. Jeremy and Katherine's reaction made her seem like a mental patient. Elena rushed to Bonnie's side as usual, and Damon waited for an explanation. She tugged Matty's hand, telling everyone they were leaving.

"Wait! What-" Jeremy said quickly, "What happened?"

"Bonnie's lied to us for a year. She might have broken the Hybrid curse, but she tampered with a few facts; in short, Bonnie decided she knew who was best to stay in my life and who wasn't. She made Klaus and I think that the Hybrid curse made us feel a certain way, when it didn't."

"Is this true?" Elena said.

"I thought it would be best at the time." Bonnie whispered, "I see now, I was wrong."

"How could you do that?!" Jeremy exploded. Katherine and Elena tried to calm things down, but he wouldn't listen. "What's wrong with you!"

Bonnie turned to Elena, pleadingly. "I'm so sorry. I thought-"

Damon watched Elena hug her friend. She was the most forgiving person he had ever known. Of course Katherine wasn't, "Bitch." And she hurried after Jeremy, to console him. Caroline was about to exit when Bonnie called out to her. "My vision showed me you and Klaus would meet again. It would be raining. You would leave the Salvatore Boarding House and stop in the middle of the road. A stranger would be appear on the horizon-" Caroline slammed the door shut, ignoring her ex-friend's "vision." _She would never trust her again._

0o0o

Matty had learnt when his mother was in such a rage, it was best not to interrupt and just do as he was told. She intended on taking Matty home and putting him to bed. She sighed, wiping the tears that ran down her face, mingling with the raindrops. She didn't even care that her clothes were getting soaked, she couldn't die of pneumonia. She saw something ahead. She eventually blamed her hallucination on the whiskey, great now she was seeing things.

"Did you see that?" Caroline asked Matty. Matty turned to where she was pointing. "Oh, I thought you were ignoring him. He's been standing there for the last five minutes." Caroline stared at him, how could her son; technically only five, but with an IQ of a twenty-five year old; stand calmly beside her. "How come you aren't scared?" She asked.

Matty laughed, "You'll see." And without warning he ran at the stranger, and he greeted him by ruffling his hair. Caroline squinted through the rain. She could cross out axe-murderer, she thought to herself. The figure was only a metre in front of her and she was pleased to see he was also soaked. His grin warmed her skin and suddenly she felt his arms on either side of her, rubbing vigorously. His eyes twinkled as though he kept a secret. "Sweetheart," he grinned. "You look amazing, as usual."

"Klaus, what are you doing here?" She was surprised to feel an urgency to her question.

"Ever since we said our goodbyes everything that happened between us would haunt me until I decided I had to come back and see you." Caroline told him what Bonnie had done. "I'm so sorry. I didn't even think she could have interfered-"

"Why would we have? We thought we could trust her." He smiled faintly. He could feel her again, understand her anger and grief. He liked holding her in his arms, again.

"I thought Stefan was_ bugging_ you to return," she asked, suspicious. Klaus shook his head, taking her hand and Caroline gasped as she felt it, what Bonnie had taken from them. Every emotion that linked them together, that made them feel, was back.

"I realised that I still loved you and that I had to try and convince you, despite how stupid it might sound: we had something. Do you feel that?"And he grinned, because he already knew her answer.

**A/N: Hey guys, this has been such an amazing journey with you all, I'm so happy I was able to contribute to this fandom and that it meant something. I needed Klaus and Caroline to move on before they got their happy ending, because we needed to see their true relationship, without the Hybrid curse and Matty controlling them. Despite the Hybrid curse being destroyed; Klaroline should still have been drawn together, but Bonnie intervened. I thought it was quite sweet, and you know they're going to have a happy future. **

**My writing style tends to tell POVS of every character I write about, and I know this can get confusing but I had to explain certain feelings. I also love writing about friendships and linking characters together. This can get quite complex at times and I only have myself to blame and usually this is why my posts are so slow. I love the idea of Alaric as mayor, don't you think he'd be great? I also felt I needed to give Katherine some comic relief compared to Elena. I could totally see her buying a pair of Gucci boots, couldn't you? So thank you again, it's been a pleasure. **

**P.S = want more Klaroline? Check out my trilogy called - The Klaroline Diaries, with loads of adventure and excitement to keep you entertained.**


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